When the Senshi are Away, the Cats Will Play
by ShadoeFox
Summary: The Senshi go out of town, leaving Artemis and Luna alone with nothing to do. But this is Tokyo, things are NEVER quiet for long. This story is now COMPLETE. Read and Review I beg of you (Hey, that was almost poetry..cool)
1. Artemis, My Hero

****

When the Senshi are Away, the Cats Will Play

Chapter One

"I still don't see why all you girls have to go. What if something happens here?" Luna said, frowning.

Usagi looked down at the cat, after closing her suitcase. "Oh come on, Luna. Setsuna says there isn't going to be any more trouble for a while, so don't worry." Setting the case next to her door, she sat down and patted the black cat, who didn't seem to be cheering up, even with the attention. 

"She's been wrong before, Usagi. You do realize that?" 

"Yes Luna." Usagi groaned. "Look we are leaving you and Artemis a communicator so if something happens you can call us, and we can Sailor Teleport back and deal with it. No big!" Smiling she continued. "Besides, you don't see Artemis getting all worried about it." 

Looking at the white cat, who seemed quite content to nap in a sun beam, Luna growled. "That's Artemis, this is me. I have to worry. And why can't you take us?"

"We are going to London, Luna." Usagi replied. "Minako's parents invited us to come with them for the month, not you guys. Besides, you would be stuck in customs until they were sure you didn't carry any diseases or anything, for a month. we would just have to load you back up, and wait ANOTHER month in Japan. Your better off staying here, with Artemis." 

Usagi stood, and double checked her drawers and such, to make sure she had everything she thought she needed. Then she turned a mischievous look to Luna. "Besides, Ms. Nervous Kitty. Shouldn't you be taking the chance to spend time alone with Artemis. You two are destined to be together, remember." Pointing to a picture of Chibi-Usa with Diana.

"Don't remind me. I swear I don't understand how something like that could happen. We probably found another, Far more respectable Moon Cat, and that was all a lie to keep us from knowing about it. Pluto probably did it."

Artemis, who wasn't really asleep, looked over at Luna, annoyed. "Gee, thanks Luna, nice to see you have such a high opinion of me." 

Luna fell off the bed, in surprise. "Weren't you asleep?" She said from the floor.

"Nope."

Luna sweat dropped at Usagi's laughter, and she swore she heard Artemis snickering at her on the bed.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

A couple of hours later, Luna and Artemis where watching the van with the Girls and Minako's parent's drive off. No one else was in the room, so they could talk freely. "Man, what are we going to do for the next month." Artemis commented, looking over to the black cat next to him.

"I am sure you will find some trouble to get into, Artemis, you always do." She said, hopping down, and heading for the kitchen.

"Why are you so pissed off, Luna?" Artemis said. The female moon cat had been tense since the girls announced the trip. 

Luna sighed, and sat down. "I am sorry, Artemis. I shouldn't be taking it out on you. It's just I am so nervous. They are going without us, into a strange land.

"Um, you do remember that Minako used to LIVE in England right? That's the reason for the trip, after all. Visiting old friends, and all. They will be fine." 

"I know, and Setsuna took the outers over to watch them, anyway, so I know their safe. I guess it's just that Usagi's gone without me. I got used to her needing me, again." 

Artemis chuckled, and patted her on the back with a paw. "I understand Luna. I really do understand."

Luna smiled at Artemis. "I know you do. I'm going to take a walk. Do you want to come, or are you going to stay here."

"I'll come. Shingo is going to watch some horror movie or other, and I can't stand those things. Lead on, lady."

________________________________________________________________________________

A couple of days later, the two cat's were taking a walk again. Artemis was a little worried about Luna, since she had been depressed since the girls left, and was racking his brain looking for an idea to cheer her up. Then something hit him.

"Hey, Luna, you have that communicator the girls left right?" he asked, looking over at her.

"Yes, why do you ask?" 

"Let's call them. You know, see how things are going, stuff like that." The white cat answered, wondering why he hadn't thought of it.

"But..." Luna said, propriety warring with desire. "The Communicators should really only be used for emergencies."  
"What, like 'what was the homework assignment again?' calls? Come on, the girls use them instead of the phone all the time, and that's when they are in the same town. I think it's reasonable to use them to say 'Hi' on another continent."

Luna smiled, and shook her head. "Okay, you convinced me." And she hopped into the air, doing a flip to get it out of her subspace pocket.

And the communicator appeared in a flash. Then it clattered to the ground, and into the open window next to them, falling to the floor of the basement of the building.

Artemis just blinked, in total surprise, while Luna looked completely mortified. "Wow...Never saw you bungle one of those flips before." 

"Shut up, and come on. We need to go get that Communicator." Luna said, hopping down and into the basement, Artemis soon following her. "Now where did it land?" Luna muttered looking around the floor for the pink device. 

Artemis started looking himself and they soon found the object in question, Luna picking it up in her teeth, and hopping up to the window, Artemis taking another look around. "This place sure is dusty." He said, surprised since the building had several stores in it. 

"Artemis, who cares if it's dirty or not. Get up here, already."

He was startled into hiding by the door slamming open, and a large, ugly man dragging a little girl tied up with rope into the room. She was gagged and he had a knife. He pushed her onto an old couch, and stomped back out of the room, yelling "If you wanna keep causing trouble, lady, we will just keep the kid away from ya!" he said, slamming the door shut.

"What the hell?" Artemis said, hopping up to the window sill. "Did you see that?"

"Yes. I think we should call the police." Luna said, a concerned look on her face.

Artemis gave her an odd look. "Do you have change for a pay phone? This isn't good."

"We could just call for help. It's not like they would expect a pair of cats, and the Humans can help the girl."

"Yeah, and that thug might come back to find out who's yelling, and take her away." Artemis gained a thoughtful look as he watched the little girl crying on the couch, unable to see them thanks to a blindfold, and likely not really hearing them either. "Here's the plan. you go find a phone that doesn't need change and call the police. I'll get her untied and hidden."

"Artemis, don't tell me your going to talk to her." Luna whispered harshly.

Artemis just flashed her a cat grin. "Okay, I won't tell you." At Luna's dirty look he frowned and sighed, continuing. "She's like five years old, Luna. No one will believe her if she say's a cat talked. Don't worry so much, and get going."

Without further ado, Artemis hopped down, and ran over to the girl, and started applying his claws to the rope on her hands, while whispering to the girl "Don't be afraid, everything is going to be fine."

The girl's whimpers died down, and her face turned towards the cat, and she made some sort of muffled sound. 

"Yeah kid, I'm here to help." Artemis said, assuming that was the question. Quickly he had her wrists free, and started on her legs as the girl pulled off the rags on her face, herself. 

The girl looked around, and not finding the man helping her whispered "Hello? Where are you Mister?"

"Right here, now hush." Artemis said. The girl was shocked, having never heard a cat talk before, but she was young enough to accept it, easily.

"Will you help my mommy?" the girl asked.

Artemis glanced up, and muttered "Great" under his breath. "Sure kid, I'll help your mom. What is your name?" He figured if she was going to talk, he should get her to talk about things that won't scare her.

"Koneko." she replied. Artemis looked up at her again, blinking.

"Your name's KITTEN? How appropriate." He shook his head, and with one last swipe of his claws had her feet free.

She stood up and moved around a little, her feet were asleep and she didn't like that. "What is your name Mr. Cat?"

"Artemis...now don't go near that door. Come here." The white cat was carefully balanced on two legs, lifting a tarp revealing a good five year old hiding spot.

"Artemis...that's a girl's name." The little girl giggled, crawling under the tarp. 

The white cat sweat dropped. "That happened after my time, kid." He dropped the tarp, and was planning on slipping underneath it him self, when the door banged open again.

The ugly guy with a knife saw the cut ropes, and started searching the room. "Whose there? Come out or I'll hurt ya." he said, pulling out a big knife, and walking around the room, looking for the kid and who ever untied her. Spotting the cat he kicked at it, the mean bastard that he was.

Figuring it was only a matter of time before the thug looked under the tarp, Artemis jumped TOWARDS his leg, and grabbed on with his claws. Looking up he hissed at the man then spoke. "Looking for a fight, tough guy, come get some!" His claws digging into his calf, Artemis PULLED!

The man screamed, part in pain and part in terror at being attacked by a talking cat. He took a sweep at the white monster with his knife, but missed as the cat jumped away. He did stumble into the

bookshelf the white cat had landed on, clutching his severely bleeding leg.

"Well, would be a shame to pass this up." Artemis thought to him self, and he planted his paws, two on the wall, the others on the shelf and PUSHED the unstable shelving unit. 

The thug yelled in panic as the oaken bookshelf landed on him, pinning him to the ground.

"Take that, looser." Artemis said, wondering if he should pose like the girls now.

The kick from the other thug caught him completely by surprise. "Whaddya know. A talking cat. Your gonna pay for a whole lotta beer, kitty." he said, walking towards the stunned Artemis.

"I am afraid he won't be, you fool." said Luna's voice from above him. A large heavy object soon found the criminals head, knocking him out. "Why, Artemis, is you can make even the worst situation even MORE complex?" She asked, hopping down to check the injured Moon Cat.

Artemis got back to his feet, and shook the cobwebs out of his head. "Talent. Hey kid, you can come out!" He said, walking to the door and looking out, sniffing the air.

"Artemis, there might be more of them, in fact I smell a woman!" She said.

"Yeah, the kid's mother." Looking and Koneko as she walked up to the two cats "Luna, Koneko...Say hello everyone."

"Hello." Said the girl shyly.

Luna just shook her head. "I still haven't called the police, so we need to find a phone." At Artemis's look she frowned. "I knew I would likely have to save you from yourself, so don't get smart, Artemis, especially seeing as I was right."

"You usually are, Luna. Come on and we will just free her mom, and she can call the police. We won't even say 'Hi' to the lady, okay."

"Fine." She said, following the white cat and little girl who had already started down the hall without her. 

They soon found the mother, and freed her hands and feet, then hid when she pulled off her blindfold. "Koneko? What happened?"

"The talking kitties helped me and knocked out the bad men." She answered.

The mother gave her child an odd look, then shrugged. "Whoever you are, thank you." She yelled, and quickly grabbed the girl and ran up the stairs and out the door, into the street.

Artemis smiled at Luna. "See, now wasn't that fun?"

"No!"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"...and we saw Big Ben, boy was it big, and we saw all sorts of old buildings. Its a nice city, though it's always so foggy." Usagi said cheerfully, talking to the two cats.

"It's good to see your having fun, girls." Luna smiled into the communicator. They had been talking for a while, and Artemis was actually asleep next to her, probably exhausted from getting kicked into a wall. 

"So what have you and Arty been up to, Luna?" Minako asked. "Having fun, yourselves?" the Senshi of Venus smiled at the cat, with a wink. 

"Are all of you girls suddenly obsessed with that?" Luna said shaking her head. She glanced at Artemis, and shrugged, smiling softly to herself. "Yeah, I suppose we are having fun."

Rei hopped in, "So, any trouble? Not that I want any problems or anything..." She ignored Makato's "I do." and continued "But I don't want you two keeping something to yourselves. No negavibes or anything?"

Luna thought about it, thinking she should tell them about earlier that day. She shook her head, and decided to keep that a secret, since it wouldn't do for them to think SHE would have an adventure. It wouldn't be proper behavior for a Royal Advisor after all.

"Nothing you need to worry about. Have fun, Senshi." She said, and closed the communicator, looking out the window at the rising moon. "Okay, so maybe one adventure wasn't TOO bad."

Unnoticed by Luna, Artemis cracked open and eye, and smiled at her. 'I knew it.' He thought, closing it again, and falling asleep for real, this time.

AN: Okay, this is an idea I had, while pondering the Moon Cats a bit. I haven't had a chance to really use them in "Kingdom..." but I know I want to play with them in the future. I might continue this story line as a side project, to keep me going and to bust writers block on Kingdom, if it happens (I have found writing something else is a great cure for that sickness.) Please, Read and Review, so I know if this idea is just a little to weird.  



	2. Visiting a Kitten

****

When the Senshi are Away, the Cats Will Play

Chapter Two

The day after the rescue, Artemis was sitting the Tsukino families couch, reading the front page of the newspaper. Luna approached him curious "Artemis, what are you reading?"

"It's called a newspaper, but that's not important right now." The white cat looked up and winked, while Luna just moaned. "That girl, Koneko, and her family are in the paper. It seems that her father is a cop, a detective on the Organized Crime Task Force."

"Hmmm...I wonder if his job has anything to do with the kidnapping." Luna pondered out loud.

Artemis winked at her. "Thinking about becoming a detective, Luna?"

"Definitely not! But I am, or at least was, an advisor to the Queen, and I am trained to think about such things."

"Sure, sure." Artemis waved that off. "I actually thought the same thing. Mostly, though, I was just wondering if the kid was all right."

"You always did have a soft spot for children, Artemis." Luna commented, with an affectionate smile. Of course she had no idea she was smiling at Artemis.

Luckily for her, Neither did Artemis, since he was still engrossed in the news article. "It is kind of an occupational hazard for us."

Luna chuckled "I suppose that is true." She laid down, shrugging. "Either way, I doubt we will ever see Koneko ever again."

Artemis looked thought full at her statement, then hopped into the air with no preamble, and did a flip. A small computer, similar though not as sleek as the Mercury computer, landed on the couch. Artemis quickly opened it up and started typing on the keyboard.

"WHERE did you get THAT?" Luna said, eyes wide. 

Artemis chuckled, and winked at the black cat next to him. "Pawn shop on Mercury, about a year before the Fall. It doesn't have a tenth of the power of the Mercury computer, heck I doubt it has a hundredth, but it has come in useful. It at least let me play Central Command for a while."

"yeessss. A most, amusing joke...NOT!" Luna muttered, then her eyes grew very wide. "Oh, my. Now I sound like Usagi."

"had to happen sometime. I knew you'd loosen up." Artemis said. "Found it!"

Luna gave up on trying to glare him into proper repentance, since he was ignoring it, and peered over his shoulder, curious about the computer if not what he was doing. "What did you find?"

"Keneko's families home. He hopped off the couch, and paused at the kitchen entrance. "You coming Luna?"

She sighed, and hopped down following the white cat. "I suppose, if only to keep you out of trouble."

________________________________________________________________________________

"WHAT did you say?" demanded the large, unpleasant looking man behind the desk.

"I said, Mr. Kuragi, that they claim two cats beat them up. Two talking cats." The man on the other side of the desk replied, tucking his briefcase further under his chair.

Mr. Kuragi leaned back in his chair with a sardonic grin. "Trying for an insanity plea, are they?"

The Lawyer chuckled. "They might have a good shot. They act as if they truly believe what they are saying." His face returned to a more somber expression. "Other then that though, they are telling the police nothing."

"Good." Mr. Kuragi's face also returned to its customary frown. "I suppose I'll just have to call The Gaki in on this." 

"Then I suppose I shall be on my way. The less I know about that the better." The lawyer stood, grabbing his briefcase on his way to his feet.

Kuragi nodded, grabbing a slip of paper and writing a quick note on it. "And please, give this to Shin, when you meet him for your appointment tomorrow."

The Lawyer nodded, fully aware that he was going to take two men's death warrants to their prison, tomorrow. "Of course, sir."

___________________________________________________________________________________  


"I swear, Artemis, if you have gotten us lost..." Luna let the threat hang in the air.

"Don't worry, its right here." The white cat stopped in front of a nice, though small, house in the suburbs. "Nice place."

"Yes, a virtual urban palace." Luna muttered, not believing how far she had walked today.

Artemis just chuckled, and started walking around the house. "And would you look at all the cops. I guess they aren't going to let anyone get kidnapped again."

Luna looked around blinking. "What Police?"

"That guy fixing his car, that woman walking her dog, and the patrol car that will be coming around the corner about...now." as a police cruiser turned the block and drove down the road.

Luna blinked, shocked. "How in the world did you know that?"

"Easy, the German Shepard is ignoring us, and the guy at the car would probably be using his garage and not the side of the road." 

"And the Police Car?"

Artemis winked. "I saw it between those two houses over there." He jogged away from the black cat, who had face faulted at the revelation.

Luna soon followed, however and found Artemis on the edge of a fence, watching something. She hopped up and took a look herself, finding Koneko playing in a small sandbox in her back yard. A man was pruning his hedges one house over.

"Is he a police officer, too?" Luna asked gesturing towards the gardener. 

Artemis glanced over, and shook his head. "Nope, just a really bad gardener."

Luna growled, since she thought she had had that one.

"The two guys in that house with the camera's and binoculars are, though." Artemis blinked. "Luna, are you alright?"

Luna looked up from the grass below. "Who are you and what did you do with Artemis. He isn't that observant!"

"One, yes I am." Artemis said, hopping down himself. "Two, I was Minako's assistant in the Silver Millennium. I was kinda her right hand man at the sneaky undercover stuff. This incarnation isn't much worse at subtle then she was back then."

Luna frowned, then nodded. "Point taken."

"Kitties!" Koneko had finally noticed her visitors, and ran over waving. "Hello Mr. Artemis, Hello Mrs. Luna." She smiled happily at them.

"That is Miss Luna, thank you." Luna said, glaring at the chuckling Artemis.\

"You aren't Mr. Artemis's girlfriend?" The little girl asked.

Luna was glad she was black, so she didn't show her blush, or anger as Artemis literally started rolling with laughter. "No, dear, I am not." 

"Oh, that's sad. Poor Mr. Artemis." She grabbed the white cat up in a hug. 

Luna watched on, as Artemis mouthed 'help me', and just waved at him.

"Koneko, where are you? Koneko?" Mrs. Shimaka came out of her back door, fearing her daughter had disappeared. 

"Over here, mommy." The little girl yelled, and got up, running over to her mother, still carrying the oxygen deprived Artemis. Luna followed.

"Koneko, where did you get those cats?" She said, surprised. She didn't know anyone in the neighborhood that had a black OR white cat. 

"They saved us mommy." She said. "This is Mr. Artemis, and this is Miss Luna." Koneko frowned, looking thoughtful. "I think Miss Luna is angry at Mr. Artemis, though. She dumped him." 

Artemis, finally shifting in her grasp so he could breath snickered softly, while Luna just looked at the ground shaking her head, mortified.

"So these are the talking cats, hmmm?" The mother smiled at her daughter, and leaned over, looking Luna in the eyes when she looked up. "And what do you have to say for yourselves, running out and not taking your thank you's?"

Artemis was slightly panicked, while Luna took it in stride. "Merrrowwgrrrpprrrrrrr." Making a noise, much longer then most cat's would have, but well with in their abilities. 

Mrs. Shimaka blinked at the rather startling audio display, which had continued for several seconds. "Well, I see what she means by talking." The woman chuckled. "I guess I will say thank you then." nodding to both cats with over dramatic respect.

She only sweat dropped a little bit when both nodded (Artemis) or bowed (Luna) in return.

"Well, since the cats are so...well behaved...I suppose you can play with them. Just be careful Koneko!" She said, turning and walking back into the house muttering "Who trains a cat to BOW, for crying out loud."

"Yay. What do you want to play Mr. Artemis?"

"How about hospital. I really need to lay down." he said in a pained voice. Even a cats back has limits.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"Man she is a cute kid." Officer Tanaka said to his partner, smiling.

"Sure is, I'll give you that." Sgt. Hibuki nodded. "Got a grandkid her age, just as cute." Looking over at his partner. "I'll tell you what, someone tries to lay an unfriendly finger on the girl, is going to get a whole lot of Hibuki brand pain."

"Save some room for Tanaka, Sarge." He returned to watching the girl, and the two cats. 

The Sergeant also returned to watching with a video camera. When one of the cats started berating the other cat and Koneko, they both looked away and at each other. "You, umm...You don't suppose those thugs in lock up where telling the truth about the talking cats."  
"No, and neither do you. We both have careers to worry about here."

"Right. Probably our imagination."

"Sure is."

AN: Yep, I continued it. And I am still writing "the Kingdom Comes Again " too. I am either an over achiever, or just easily distracted. Oh well.


	3. One Disguise Pen Later...

****

When the Senshi are Away, the Cats Will Play

Chapter 3

Artemis was sitting on Usagi's bed, a week later, thinking about Koneko. The two cats had visited her every day since the first, at her home. Mostly they did it to stave off their own boredom.

Artemis mostly played with the girl. He rather liked her youthful enthusiasm for whatever game he came up with, and he rather liked coming up with something interesting for the girl to do.

Luna, on the other hand, while not exactly disliking play, was also playing her 'teacher' routine. Among trying to help the girl with normal five year old things, she was also trying to teach her "Proper Etiquette" From the Silver millennium. "Someone should know this, and the girls ignore me every time I bring it up." Luna had said when he asked why.

Artemis looked up at the closet with a mildly puzzled expression as he heard a thump. Luna had gone in there about half an hour ago, but the door was open and she wasn't crying out for help, so he ignored it.

Returning to his thoughts, he was considering how sad Koneko seemed, when the cats had just gotten there earlier that day, and she hadn't seen them. He had asked her why she was upset, and she had told him she missed her friends, but they couldn't come over to play, and she couldn't go over there.

The white cat understood this, since a kidnapping victim wasn't exactly the best play mate, if there was any chance of her being snatched again. No parent wants their kid caught in a cross fire, after all.

"To bad Chibi-Usa and Usagi aren't around. Usagi would let her play, and she isn't that much older then Koneko. And I would LOVE to see what would happen to THAT kidnapper. Ten to one, the Fire Soul would get him before the Frisbee from hell." He chuckled.

THUMP. " What the...?" Artemis finally got curious, and hopped down from the bed, walking over to the closet. "Luna, what are you doing in here? And WHERE did all this crap come from?" 

The crap, in question, was a rather large pile of hair brushes, small items, hankies, and assorted minutia that was covering the floor next to Luna. "Hush Artemis. First off, this is not crap, as you call it. Second, your computer reminded me of a compact I had in my storage space for the Princess, from the Silver Millennium. It got me wondering if I had anything of use or value for the girls or ourselves in it that I had forgotten, so I decided to empty it and have a look."

Artemis, using his fore claws, grabbed what, except for the Silver Millennium script, would have looked like any other ball point pen. "What, like the oldest pen on the planet?"

"Actually, yes!" Luna replied, pushing a highly decorated, almost gaudy, pen out of the pile. "Seems I have a spare disguise pen."

"Hey, that's the old model isn't it?"

Luna nodded. "Yes. Its a very old model, actually. it doesn't provide any equipment appropriate to the disguise, only clothes and form."

"Yeah...but does it even work? its been out of service a while." 

"Try it!" With a chuckle at Artemis's odd look, she continued. "It doesn't have the lock out, the later models had. Anyone could use it, thus the reason it was fazed out." Pushing it over, she motioned for him to try it out.

"Fine...hmm. Make me a black cat like Luna." Artemis said, lifting it with his claws like the other pen. With a light show, and a flash, he was no longer white, and quite nearly identical to Luna, except for a slightly larger frame. "Nifty!"

"Quite. I remember using it when the Queen and Princess dragged me along on ski trips. I used it to become a long haired cat." She said this with a bit of embarrassment in her voice.

"So that's what was different! I wondered why you looked so odd on those trips!"

Luna graced him with a very dirty look.

"NOT BAD...Um, you couldn't look bad if you tried!" The now black Artemis said, with a little sweat on his brow.

"Flattery will get you no where."

Changing the subject, Artemis pushed it over to Luna. "So, your turn."

"What?" She looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "We already know it works, why would I want to use it?" 

"Come on Luna. Its not like we are going to burn it out or anything. Besides, the girls have the better one." 

Luna frowned, then shrugged. "Oh, why not." Picking it up she thought for a moment. "Make me a gray cat!"  
Another light show, and another new look. "Hmm, I suppose Diana does take after you, Luna."

"Good, I would hate for her to pick up to many traits up from you." Luna said, with an evil little grin.

Artemis feigned pain. "That hurt, lady."

"I am sure you will recover." She said, then Artemis grabbed the pen. 

"Make me gray, too!"

Luna looked him over. "No, that color doesn't suit you at all, Artemis." 

"I agree. I look like I haven't bathed in several days!" he said with a sour expression. Quickly he changed back to his normal form. 

Luna, getting into playing with the pen, in spite of her self, grabbed it. "Okay, one from Usagi's Manga. Make me look like Shampoo's Cursed Form." And with a nice light show, and a flash, she was suddenly a pink and white cat, with purple highlights, and interesting ornaments. 

"Shampoo?"

"Some series called Ranma 1/2. The girl named that changes into a cat."

Artemis nodded. "Lucky girl." 'Luna looks hot with those hair things.'

"I thought so, too." Luna was answering the statement, and not the thought, of course. 

Artemis grabbed it, again. "I know! Disguise pen, make me a Tiger!" 

"You always where a wild one....BY THE MOON!" Luna yelled, hopping out of the closet as Artemis changed into a tiger, a five FOOT tiger.

"What the heck?" Artemis said, his voice, perversely no different for his larger form.

Luna was just as stunned, looking up and down the rather large Moon Cat. "Well, it doesn't hide the Moon on your forehead, and your a white tiger, to boot. " Picking the first thing she thought of to cover her surprise, to mention.

Artemis looked at the still pink and purple cat like she was insane. "Are you nuts? I'm a full grown TIGER? What the heck is going on?"

"Apparently, it can increase mass. It makes sense, really, since it can make Usagi's hair shorter, or at least the other one can.

Artemis looked at her with a frown, oddly not much relaxed at all. She looked thoughtful then spoke. "Use it and change back. I am curious about something."

"Sure...Disguise pen, I want to be ME again." and quickly he is changed back, and very relived looking white cat replaced the tiger.

"Okay...Now no comments from you Artemis, I just want to see if this will work." Artemis nodded, wondering what the heck she was talking about. "Okay then. Disguise pen, Make me Princess Kaguya!"

Artemis was about to say that was stupid...when the light show began. Soon, Luna, in the human form she had only worn for a few minutes before, and was standing in the middle of the room. Quickly she moved over to the door (Or stumbled more accurately.) and fumbled with the lock so no one would walk in and surprise them.

"Okay, that is weird!" Artemis said, hopping up on a shelf, looking over the human Luna. Or maybe MOSTLY human would be a better statement as he noticed something peeking out from the back of her dress. "Luna, you still have a tail."

Luna who had been looking in a mirror, with a fair amount of surprise showing on her face. "I didn't really thing that would work...Wait, did you say tail?" Looking behind her she found the tip of said tail coming from under the hem of the skirt. It was mostly hidden, and if she paid attention to what she was doing it was easy to hide. "I suppose it couldn't hide limbs any more then our Moons."

"Makes sense. I would have worried if it did!" Artemis said.

Luna looked over at the white cat. "As if you aren't worried NOW! Please Artemis, your fur is standing on end."

"Luna, your kinda HUMAN right now. Allow me my surprise."

Luna shrugged, then fell down while trying to take a step, landing on her butt. "Ouch."

Artemis chuckled, looking over the shelf. "Been around Usagi WAY to much Luna."

"You try walking on these stupidly long legs and then talk. They don't even bend the right way!"

Artemis shrugged and pushed the pen over to her.

"Change back. Why did you try that, anyway?"

Luna quickly used the pen, and looked at it thoughtfully. "Actually, I didn't have a reason when I did it, but I can't help but think that it is useful."

"Why?"

"Think of all the times we couldn't go with the girls, because we are cats! This little trip they are on is a prime example. If we could be human, even for short periods of time..."

Artemis nodded. "I get it. Then we could go with them. My tail would be a problem, though. I am not wearing skirts."

"Then wear a long coat or something, Artemis. Far be it for us to wound your masculine pride! Its not that hard to hide after all. At least for a short time." She pushed it over to him. "Go ahead."

"Go ahead what?"

Luna looked at him like he was an idiot. "Turn human! I want to see what it looks like." 

"Oh fine. Disguise pen, make me..." then an idea hit him. "A five year old boy."

And with a flash of light, he was standing over Luna, his white tail sticking out of a pair of shorts and a t-shirt with his own face on it. "Gotta love the clothes."

"Yes, shows your ego quite well, I must say. The tail is an issue in that outfit though. Little boys don't usually wear long coats.

"Rain coats, though... And actually I was thinking, Koneko has been without a playmate her age...and since this works...."

Luna rolled her eyes. "You are obsessed."

"No, just concerned. Besides, it would let us practice walking with these stupid legs." this was said after he tripped and did a perfect face plant.

"That is true, I suppose."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"Yes sir, I understand." Said the dark man, who then hung up the phone. Looking at the pictures in the manila folder that had been delivered earlier. One was of a man in a police uniform, the others were of his wife and child. "All three of them, eh? Oh well. It's a shame about the kid, though."

The assasain known as The Gaki stood, and started looking over his weapons. Seems that the job was for tomorrow. He hated rush jobs, but Kuragi was willing to pay the extra fee, so tomorrow the Shimaka family died.

AN: Yes I know the Cats getting a human form is classic Shtick, but what the heck. Besides I have plans, and they aren't exactly all human after all. And as for The Gaki...well it can't all be cute kids and moon cats now can it. Mwahahahahahahahha


	4. Cat Like Reflexes

****

When the Senshi are Away, the Cats Will Play

Chapter 4

Artemis and Luna where walking to Koneko's House, chatting about the white cats idea.

"I hate to admit it, but this is a good idea." Luna said, a bit of grudging respect in her voice. "We can practice moving as humans, and I can actually show Koneko how to hold her teacup properly."

Artemis nodded. "Yes, it was a good idea, wasn't it?" Letting the praise boost his ego.

Luna sniffed, as his stride grew too cocky for her tastes. "It just goes to show you can't under estimate anyone. Everyone gets something right, eventually."

"Gee thanks, Luna." Artemis muttered.

They were soon to the fence, finding Koneko playing in her sandbox. Luna jumped into the box and smiled in greeting to the girl. "Hello Koneko!" 

"Hey kid." Artemis greeted as well, though he didn't jump into the sandbox. He wasn't over fond of how it felt between his toes. 

"Mr. Artemis, Ms. Luna!" The girl squealed. "My daddy's home! Do you wanna meet him?"

"That's 'want to' dear, and of course." Luna smiled. "However, Artemis wants to ask you something."

Artemis gave Luna a dark look. "Sure, make me explain!" He muttered "Koneko? Would you like it if me and Luna could be kids, and play with you?" 

"Yeah, Mr. Artemis, I would. But how? Can you change to people?"

"That is 'change INTO people', and yes we can Koneko." Luna explained, with a soft smile for the bubbly girl.

"Goodie!" The girl squealed, and dropped to her hands and knees in the sand, watching the two cats expectantly.

Artemis just stared back, and Luna sighed glaring at him. Then she looked at the cheerful little girl, and smiled at her. "We are going to leave, and come back as human, Koneko. We don't want to do it here, where someone might see. Remember that we are a secret." 

Koneko nodded. "Okay, Ms. Luna. Please hurry back!"

"We will." Artemis promised. They ran off and quickly and found a good place to change on the same block, behind a shed. They walked back at a more sedate pace, having barely mastered walking the night before. They knocked on the front door, and waited for Mrs. Shimaka to answer.

"You said about four hours, right?" Artemis asked Luna.

Luna looked at him. "Actually, three to be safe. If I remember correctly, this disguise pen should be able to hold the disguise for about eight to ten hours under normal usage. With two of us using them, we have five hours at most. That is ignoring the dramatic nature of our change, which is likely draining the energy more quickly. I only give us three since we held it for almost that long while practicing last night."

Artemis just nodded, and they both turned to the door hearing someone approach. It soon opened revealing Koneko's mother.

"Yes, can I help you children?" Mrs. Shimaka asked.

Luna smiled, as cutely as she could force herself too (Which privately Artemis thought was very cute) and answered the woman in her best little girl voice. "Yes, Ma'am. We were wondering if we could play with Koneko?"

Mrs. Shimaka looked around, over the two apparent children's head, then looked back at them, with a more appraising look. 

The little girl had long black hair, most of it falling loosely down her back, except for the small lengths that fell before her ears with little Chinese style ornaments holding the hair in place (Artemis suggested them). She wore a yellow sundress that was very neatly pressed looking though with a longer then usual skirt for a sundress. With her simple yellow slip on shoes, she presented the image of a very polite and well-mannered girl, even with the odd crescent moon on her forehead. 'Its probably a temporary tattoo. Must be a Sailor Moon fan.' the mother thought.

Turning her attention to the boy, her first thought was that he was a contrast to the girl. While his shoes where also of the slip on variety, they reminded Mrs. Shimaka of Kung Fu Slippers. He wore stone washed jeans, with an orange flannel shirt tied around his waste by the sleeves (hiding his tail.) He wore a white t-shirt as well. His hair was pure white, and long with the back braided down his spine, and the bangs hanging over his eyes but not covering them, though it covered the moon on his own forehead so she didn't spot it. In total, he had a sort of rough and tumble raffish look, but the hairstyle softened it so he looked gentle at the same time. 

"Where are your parents?" She asked the two. The one thing they had in common was their luminescent green eyes.

"Our mother went to the store." Seeing the concerned look developing on the woman's face she added "Our sister told us we could come!"

Mrs. Shimaka frowned. "Such an irresponsible girl! Come in, children, come in." thinking to her self 'I'll watch them, and keep an eye out for their mother or father looking for them. They must be new to the neighborhood. I hope their mother finds us before she panics.' "What are your names?"

"Luna." "Artemis." 

Of course, this is when they realized she already knew their names. "Um...I think you know our cats!" Artemis quickly jumped in. Luna looked at him, rather surprised. 

Mrs. Shimaka blinked, and then giggled to herself 'Must have named their kittens after each other. How cute!' "Well, come along, then. Koneko is in the back yard."  
"Thank you ma'am!" 

"Thanks."

She led them outside and smiled as her daughter ran up cheerfully. She watched them play for a short while before turning and walking into he husbands study, finishing the household bills.

"Who was at the door, Dear?" He asked.

She smiled as he looked up at her. "Seems those cats owners tracked down who they were visiting every day. There are two new kids Koneko's age on the block. They are playing with her now." She explained about their apparent sisters letting them run off without supervision.

Detective Shimaka nodded. "Your right, we couldn't send them off. Besides, with a half dozen cops around the house they should be safe enough." 

"I thought so too. Besides, Koneko has been lonely, lately." She frowned. "Still, we will have to explain about the...kidnapping." She gave a small shudder remembering that experience.

The cop stood and hugged his wife closely. "I know...I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault! You have to testify against that creep." She hugged her husband back.

"Have I told you recently how much I love you?"

She looked at her husband, with a mischievous smile. "No! I was starting to wonder about that, too!"

He growled at his wife, then kissed her. He was just happy his family was safe and with him.

___________________________________________________________________________________

The Gaki lay at his chosen post, waiting. He knew all three members of the family where home, but he wanted a shot at all three, since he didn't have much time to get away from the police, once they know something was happening.

He watched the two new children playing with the target's daughter, and the small bit of his soul that remained rebelled at the idea of killing a child. He squashed the thought as quickly as it formed, but it did cause him to decide not to kill the other two children.

'After all,' He rationalized to himself. 'I wasn't paid to kill them.'

He watched from his perch, a roof carefully chosen so the various police patrols didn't see him, but leaving him a clean shot at the detective's back yard. He shifted the bow in his grip, a non-descript weapon used by several local high school and college archery teams. It was untraceable, quiet, and accurate in a master's hand.

He was such a master.

He smiled darkly as the mother, and the detective exited the back door, carrying the snacks. "Yes, a cookie sounds VERY good right now." He whispered, as they all sat at a picnic table. Standing up, he took aim at the little girl named Koneko.

____________________________________________________________________________

The disguise pen Luna and Artemis had was more powerful then later models, not weaker. It could alter a creature's form as it did with Artemis and Luna quite dramatically, and nearly completely. However it took the path of least resistance and didn't alter the actual materials the body produced. Their hair would look like cat fur in a microscope, and their muscles and nerves were far denser then a humans, also casing them to be twenty to twenty five percent heavier then a child their size should be, as Mr. Shimaka discovered when he helped Artemis onto the table.

Their eyes where also predators eyes, and like all predators eyes they were geared towards movement, as well as very acute. That is why both Luna and Artemis looked right at The Gaki when he stood and took aim.

"LOOK OUT!" Artemis yelled, even as the Gaki fired. He dove into Koneko and her father, knocking both from their seats and out of the path of the two arrows fired at them. He winced as he heard the loud 'thunk' of the broad heads digging into the wood.

Mrs. Shimaka stood up and screamed, panicking. She was unaware of the third arrow arcing towards her, putting her heart right into its path.

Luna, however, did see it coming, and instinctively batted it out of the air like a tennis ball. The movement was so instinctive she didn't even realize she had done it, as she gazed intensely at the sniper, trying to discern his features.

Mr. Shimaka dragged Artemis and Koneko under the table with him, yelling at his wife to do the same, Luna actually pulling the woman behind HER, having noticed the assassin drawing a fourth arrow. Only that one other arrow was fired, and that one was a hasty shot, only nicking Mrs. Shimaka on the ankle.

The detective had, without realizing it grabbed his cell phone and dialed the stake out leader, even as the man in question was calling his forces to bear against the unseen assassin. 

As both panicked adults checked the children for injuries, Artemis and Luna looked at each other, frowning and angry both.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The Gaki was running, slipping between hedge rows and houses to the car he had parked a few blocks away. He had no doubt he would escape, but was frowning anyway.

It seems that the client neglected to mention a few things. He had seen both children move, and was truly impressed. The white haired boy had moved so fast his after image was visible even as he tackled the detective and his daughter. The Black haired girls arm had blurred to the point of looking to be one solid shield as she knocked an arrow out of the air. She did that without even seeming to pay attention to the movement as well! A sign of advanced training.

These things alone where enough of a reason to concern the assassin, but that wasn't all he saw.

He saw under the boy's shirt, and saw his feline tail. He also saw the girl's forehead, and the crescent moon glow as she glared at him in anger, before ducking under the table. 

No, he wasn't told the Sailor Senshi where involved, but that was okay. It just made the hunt more interesting...and the fee all that much richer.

AN: Okay, that last part I will likely hear about, so I am commenting right now. Luna's sigil glowed because, since she focuses her Mind Meld through it, I bet it will glow when she is upset, angry, or otherwise strongly emotional. As for The Gaki noting it and assuming the Senshi's involvement, Sailor Moon has had her own Sigil glow, along with Chibi-moon, enough times that it is likely someone has noted it and the rumor has spread about them. While the Gaki would have ignored it, generally, having it show up in his face will cause him to connect the two events. Sailor Venus's/Sailor V's rep would make him believe they would get involved in this situation as well.


	5. Mamoru, its TWINS!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters in here, unless no one else used them before...then I guess they would have to be mine, eh? Well, since I ain't getting paid either way I guess it don't matter.

When the Senshi Are Away, the Cats Will Play

Chapter 5

Artemis leaned against one arm of the couch, watching Mr. Shimaka talk to a female officer in the hallway. It was about an hour and a half since the attack, and he was getting bored, and slightly insulted, with the female officer trying to 'reassure' him, and offering him cookies.

Okay, he didn't mind the cookie part, but it's the principle of the thing.

He let his mind drift to the event it's self, playing it out in his mind. 'Okay, the guy was a pro. I just wish I knew if this was the final act, or just the second volley.'

He yelped when he felt a sharp pain in his thigh. Looking over his shoulder, he found Luna sitting next to him. "Artemis. We need to get out of here!"

"Huh? Why?"

"It's been about two and a half hours since we changed. We have to get out of here before we become cats again!"

Artemis shrugged, and nodded. "Excuse me, Mrs. Shimaka?" He called into the kitchen, where she had gone with a female officer as soon as the cops had gotten there.

She stepped out of the kitchen, trying to dry the last of her tears. "Yes, Artemis?" She asked, looking the boy over, once again. She was horribly worried that he, or Luna, had been hurt, but both seemed to escape unscathed. She was almost more amazed by the fact that neither of them cried or whined through the whole thing, but figured they just didn't understand the events they had survived.

"Me and Luna have to go home. Can we go now?" 

Luna looked at Artemis like he was an idiot, to which he muttered "What?" Mrs. Shimaka groaned, having let her self forget about how they had come to her door. 

"Artemis, I can't let you and Luna walk home alone. Does either of you know your phone number?" She knew Koneko knew hers, but a lot of parents weren't as careful about such things.

Artemis was trying not to show his panic, when Luna jumped in. "Yes, I could call our Father!" 

"You can?" Mrs. Shimaka AND Artemis said, surprised.

"Yes..." Looking at Artemis, she smiled. "Our Father. His name is Mamoru Chiba!"

Artemis chuckled, thinking this was going to be funny. He frowned when, while climbing off of the couch, Luna whispered "Distract Mrs. Shimaka."

The woman in question had reached through the kitchen door and grabbed the cordless phone kept just inside. "Can you tell me the number dear?"

"Um... I have trouble remembering if I don't look at the phone. May I dial please?" Luna said, trying not to look nervous. She managed to just look like a shy little girl.

Mrs. Shimaka smiled down at her. "Here you go then, Luna. I must talk to him, though!" Luna nodded, then looked at Artemis sharply.

Artemis slid off the couch and tried to fake a stumble. The fact that he actually DID stumble, and crack his head against the table, was completely incidental. Mrs. Shimaka AND the two female officers (One had been watching the kids from across the room, while listening to a police radio. The other had been taking Mrs. Shimaka's statement.) 

"Nice, Artemis! I'm glad they don't know that language." Luna muttered, then turned her attention to the phone as she heard the other end pick up. Some of the words he was using was causing HER to blush.

_"Hello?" _Mamoru said on the other end.

"Mamoru, it's Luna..."  
Mamoru interrupted before she could continue. _"Hey, Luna. How are you and Artemis doing? Didn't expect a phone call from you!" _His chuckle carrying easily over the phone.

"Mamoru, Be quiet and listen for a moment. I don't have much time." Nodding when the sometimes Tuxedo Mask agreed, she continued. "I am not going into details, however to make a long story short..." She took a deep breath, thanking every god he was USAGI'S boyfriend.

"Artemis and myself found a way to become human for a short period of time and where spending time with a young girl. It seems someone tried to kill her and we are stuck here, without any way of getting away before changing back. Since we look like five-year-olds we need you to pretend to be our father and pick us up. Just play along!"

She gasped for breath, giving Mamoru time to sort out what was just said.

"Wait! Your children? How the heck did that happen? And why would someone try to kill a little girl...forget that last one just tell me what's going on?"

"JUST PLAY ALONG!" Luna hissed very cat like, noticing Mrs. Shimaka finishing with Artemis. "Here is my father, Ma'am." Luna said, handing off the phone.

"Mr. Chiba?" Hearing the confirmation from the other side of the phone. "Hello, I am Mrs. Kasumi Shimaka, you don't know me, but your children where over here playing with my daughter..." She stepped into the kitchen, so she could tell the poor man what had happened without forcing the children to hear it all again. Her own daughter had just stopped sniffling a few minutes ago. 

Luna returned to her spot, next to Koneko. The little girl leaned over and asked "What's wrong, Ms. Luna?"

Luna smiled softly to the scared little girl, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders, only slightly annoyed that the girl was taller then her. "Artemis and myself can't stay human for long." She said, watching the other humans out of the corner of her eye. None of them were listening to the children, so she continued. "We don't want to change into cats in front of all these people, so a friend of ours is coming to pick us up."

"Is he a kitty, too?" She asked, wide eyed.

Artemis, hearing this, chuckled. "No. He's a magical prince though!"

"Artemis!"  
Artemis just grinned into Luna's glare. "What? She knows about us! Knowing about Mamoru isn't exactly going to make things worse."

Luna just growled at the white haired cat turned boy, and turned back to Koneko. "Either way, dear, he is going to be coming here soon, to pick us up."

"Are you going to stay away like my other friends now?" Koneko asked, looking like she was going to cry.

Luna gave her a softly stern look. "Of course not! Why I still have to teach you those court dances, don't I?"

Artemis chuckled "And someone is going to have to teach you the old Venus Tango, while we are at it!" 

"So...you're going to visit again?" 

Artemis slid his arm over her shoulders, not noticing he was putting it around Luna as well, and hugged them both. "Don't worry. We'll be around, kid! Isn't that so, Luna?"

Luna, having decided not to shrug out of Artemis's hug, and ignoring the fact that she rather liked it, nodded. "Of course. It takes more then this to scare a Moon Cat!"

"Yeah. If we still hang out with Usagi and Minako after trying to wake them up for school, a guy with a bow isn't nothing!" Artemis agreed.

Koneko just snuggled in between the two cats, feeling very safe...wondering if this is what a kitty kitten felt like with her kitty parents.

Detective Shimaka finished talking with the officer questioning him, and walked to the kitchen, smiling at the cute pile the kids were making, hugging each other. "Ahh...To be so young again." He muttered as he stepped through the door.

His wife was on the phone, which surprised him, till he heard her finish the conversation. "Good, Mr. Chiba. I can't wait to meet you, and again, I am sorry about Luna and Artemis going through this."  
Apparently what ever the man said on the other side reassured his wife, because she smiled. "You are to kind, Mr. Chiba...Mamoru. We will see you in ten minutes."

"Their Father?"

Mrs. Shimaka nodded to her husband. "Yes. Luna knew his number, though why they are keeping an apartment and house is beyond me!"  
"Probably have to finish the lease out or something." He shrugged the question off. "Dear...I want you to go to my mothers in Osaka for a few days."

"Hiroshi! You know what I said the last time!" She silenced when he placed a finger on her lips.

"Yes, and I should have insisted then! These bastards tried to kill Koneko and YOU! Not just me, but YOU TWO!" He turned around, and drove his fist into the wall, shattering the kitchen tile. "YOU'RE GOING! I will NOT loose my girls!"  
His wife was holding her hands to her mouth, in shock. In all the years they had been married he had NEVER lost his temper like that. "Hiro....Okay. We'll go. I don't want to leave you alone, but we'll go."

"Fine...Tomorrow afternoon. I already had Shin arrange it."

___________________________________________________________________________________

Luna and Artemis looked at each other over Koneko, who had fallen asleep. "Looks like she's getting out of the crossfire." Artemis said, glancing down at their companion.

"A good thing, I would say." Luna replied. "This is far more serious then even the kidnapping suggested. Do you know why this is happening to them?"

"Yeah, seems the Detective is the star witness in an embezzlement case."

"What?" Luna looked at her partner with shock on her face. "All of this over a white-collar criminal?"

"From what I found out, it's not quite that simple. Seems Mr. Tokai Kuragi is the brother of Muriata Kuragi, an up and coming Yakuza man, though from everything until this it looked like he was completely on their legit operations side. "

"Seems somebody widened their portfolio." 

"Seems so." Artemis agreed, then both looked up as the Shimaka's returned to the living room, sitting across the coffee table from the children.

"Your father is going to be here in just a little while, and then you can go home and get cleaned up!" Mrs. Shimaka said, trying to be cheerful.

"All things being equal, I'd say they earned that dirt." Mr. Shimaka said, joining his wife's efforts. "So Artemis, ever think about being a professional athlete when you grow up? I can attest for your...prowess." The man stretched, as if feeling a soar bruise, and winced when he found one.

"Actually, sir, I always thought I'd go into your line of work." He answered with a smile. It was even the truth, since Crystal Tokyo would need a police commissioner, after all. (AN: I ignore the cleansing idea. It really doesn't make sense to me from a lot of angles. Sorry for anyone who really likes the idea. It's an ethical thing.)

"A cop, eh?" The man smiled at the psuedo-boy. "Tell ya what, when you join the force, look me up! I'll get you a good place."

Mrs. Shimaka smacked her husbands knee, playfully. Luna was pleased to see some of the tension had left her shoulders. "Hush...He's FIVE Hiroshi! It's a bit early to start playing politics with him!"

"It is never to early...Oops." Luna said the first part instinctively...the second part was under her breath, so no one really heard it.

Mrs. Shimaka looked at Luna with a raised eyebrow. "What do you want to be when you grow up, Luna? Prime Minister perhaps?"

'Hell no!' Luna thought to herself. "Actually...I want to...be a teacher!" She smiled at her own cleverness. She could think of no better definition of her job, other then Nanny, and she couldn't change diapers, so that didn't really apply now did it?

She ignored her current form for that logic, can you tell?

"A teacher? Well, I must say, a smart girl like you should do very well at that!" Mrs. Shimaka said. Sure they would likely forget about these childhood dreams, but it doesn't hurt to support them. A good idea to she always thought, actually.

"I wanna be a veterinarian, and help all the sick kitties and puppies!" Koneko chirped, having woken up during the conversation.

"A, um...noble goal, Koneko." Luna said, with a bit of sweat forming on her brow. 'Start working on teaching her to be a Courtier much HARDER!'

Artemis just looked at Koneko like she grew a second head. 'Well, she's young...I am sure we can convince her to become something less evil...I wonder if the Negaverse needs any generals?' he thought to himself.

Mr. and Mrs. Shimaka watched the rather strange mix of emotions on the "twins'" faces, and wondered what the heck all THAT meant.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Mamoru pulled up to the house, and checked the piece of paper he wrote the address down on. "Yep, this is the place." He muttered, pulling up to the curb, and killing the engine. Climbing out he started walking slowly up the walk, looking at the cop standing there, and absently fingering the rose he had slipped into his lapel. He was half convinced this was a trap and wanted to be able to transform and fight quickly, after all.

"Mamoru Chiba?" The Police officer, an older man with Sgt. chevrons on his shoulders asked. A younger officer stood on the other side of the door. 

"Um, yes, officer."

"I am Sgt. Hibuki. May I see your ID? You understand I am sure."  
"Um, of course." He handed over his Driver's license. The officer took note of the ID number, and his picture, fortunately not looking at his age, and handed it back to him. "Okay, sorry about that." The Sgt. obviously wasn't sorry at all, but Mamoru could respect that.

"Yes, no problem." Mamoru stepped up and knocked on the door, while the younger cop started walking around the house for another patrol. The Sgt. stayed where he stood, watching Mamoru with professional detachment.

A female officer answered the door. "Mr. Chiba?" 

"Yes."

"Come in, sir. Sorry about the caution."

Mamoru waved that off. "No problem. I understand you have to be careful." The fact that he was obviously sincere slightly shocked both officers, but they shrugged it off and the woman led him to the living room.

Mr. Shimaka stood up, and bowed. "Mr. Chiba. I do wish we could have met under better circumstances!"

Mamoru bowed back, just as politely. "No trouble, Sir. It is hardly your fault, and everyone came out okay...at least I hope so!"

"Yes, no one was hurt...though I wish it hadn't happened." Turning, the detective turned towards his wife who was standing behind him. "This is my wife, Kasumi." She bowed as well, Mamoru returning the greeting once again.

"Your children have been a pleasure. While I do hope you punish your older daughter for letting them out unescorted, I am regretfully happy she did."

"Um..Yes...Chibi-Usa will hear about this..." Mamoru stuttered. It was the only daughter he could think of on the fly. 

"Chibi-Usa?"

"Named after her mother, Usagi."

Mrs. Shimaka nodded. "I understand. Well, the girl that isn't yours is my daughter Koneko." Pointing to the three apparent five-year-olds on the couch.

Mamoru took a close look at all three. He could guess the boy was probably Artemis, and the white hair was a dead give away, but both girls had black hair, and long. He smiled in relief when Luna "absently" brushed her hair away from the moon on her forehead. "Yes." Kneeling he smiled to Koneko. "Hello Koneko, my name is Mamoru."

"Are you really a prince?"

Luna sweat dropped and Artemis fell off the catch, having to fight laughter. His laughter was due to the expression on Mamoru's face when she asked that.

"ummmm...." Mamoru said, his brain having shut down.

"Koneko? Where did you get such an idea?" Mr. Shimaka said, chuckling at the silly imaginings of little girls. He didn't see Mamoru's face so it was all very funny, and innocent to him. 

"Artemis said so!" Koneko defended herself, pointing at the boy, rolling on the ground laughing. He stopped laughing when Mamoru gave him a rather dark stare. "Sorry dad!" He said. Then had to fight down more giggles as that comment etched a new expression on Mamoru's face.

Luna coughed. "Either way, we should really go, don't you think so father?"

"Um...yeah, right. See you around Koneko!" Mamoru got up.

"Let me walk you out." Mr. Shimaka said. He led them to the door, and stepped outside with them, walking towards the car. "Again, I do apologize for everything that has happened. Take this." He handed Mamoru a card with several names and numbers, all with ranks of police officers. "If you see anyone around your house that shouldn't be there, call any one of them, or me, understand! We will deal with it quickly."

"Thank you, Detective Shimaka." Mamoru said, opening the door on his car, letting the two moon cats climb in, quickly shifting his position to hide Luna's tail when a gust of wind caught the hem of her skirt. "I will. I hope you and your family are all right."  
"We'll get through this. I do hope you will let Artemis and Luna visit again, though I do suggest not in the near future."  
Mamoru just nodded. "Don't worry. No one in my family forgets their friends...barring brainwashing." He chuckled to himself. At the detectives odd look he grinned. "Private joke. Have a good evening, Sir...or at least as good as possible."

"And you, Mr. Chiba. Good bye, kids...and remember, Artemis, I owe you an ice cream!"

"Sure, I'll remember."

The detective walked quickly back to his house, and Mamoru slid into the driver's seat, soon driving away from the house. "Okay, we are going to my house, and you are SO explaining everything!"

"Sure, sure...Disguise pen, make me ME again!" Artemis said, changing back into a cat...startled when Luna changed with him.

Luna just hopped to the front seat, and looked at the time on the dashboard. "Three and a half hours, all told. Four is the upper limit, I am sure of that now!"

"Right..." Mamoru said, shaking off the surprise. "You are not leaving ANYTHING out!"

Luna sighed and sat in the passenger seat, while Artemis just sat in the back and listened. "Right, everything. But promise me you won't tell Usagi or the girls ANYTHING about all of this!"

"Why?"

"Because..." the black cat muttered. "They would NEVER let me live this down. Now, it all started just a couple of days after the girls left...." She began her story.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The Gaki smiled darkly, setting the headphones down, and driving off quickly. "Five o'clock train to Osaka, eh? Seems I have several appointments to keep tomorrow." He chuckled as he drove by the police cruiser looking for him, giving them a pleasant wave as they passed. Oh how he loved cordless phones, he thought as he patted the radio receiver next to him.

In the morning, meet with Kuragi and explain the dangers of not giving a professional all the information. Then give him the revised bill, so to speak. Then pick up a van. Then collect the kitten and her mother. Not only will that draw the Father out to be dealt with, but also he was sure the two Sailor Senshi would show up. Then he could get a trophy truly worthy of his status. 

He wondered if the male was the one who wore the Tuxedo, normally. That top hat would be quite a conversation piece, and a wonderful candy dish to boot!

___________________________________________________________________________________

That night, a pair of sneaky, and small, forms slipped into a second story window of the Shimaka home. Stealthily they found Koneko's room, the door cracked so the bathroom light shined in to her. Hopping up on her bed Luna and Artemis made themselves comfortable. Of course, that wasn't their goal.

The soft, content sigh of the girl, her restless movements and nightmares ending was their goal, and they found the pay worthy of their labor. The angelic smile on her face warmed both Moon Cat's heart as they curled up on either side of her body, and fell asleep, their tails unconsciously twirling around each other over her stomach, as if to hold the girl down...and to reassure each other of the others presence. 

AN: Okay, not a lot of action in this one, but what can I say? Not everything in life is crazy bow wielding assassins and Gangsters!


	6. a peice of heaven, and a peice of hell.

****

When the Senshi's Away, the Cats Will Play

Chapter 6

Luna sighed, and snuggled in close to the warm pillow she was sleeping against. It even conformed nicely for her, seeming to snuggle right back. She would have drifted off, back to sleep, except for a little girl giggling.

'Is Chibi-Usa back?' Luna thought to her self. Opening one green eye, she focused on the little girl in question. "Oh, yes. Artemis and I came to stay with Koneko. Looks like she's cheery this morning." She kneaded here pillow, and laid her head back upon it, noticing the soft, relaxing purrs coming from it. 

'Wait purrs?' Very, very slowly she lifted her head and took a careful look at the pillow. Strangely the first thing she really noticed was that Koneko was kneeling beside the bed, looking at her with a happy smile. Then she looked down at her "Pillow" to find Artemis, laying "Spooned" along her back, one of his rear legs tossed over her own, and there tails wound together in a rather intimate way.

Fighting down the rush of warmth she felt at the sight, and feelings, she looked at the once again giggling Koneko. "Um...Would you please help me, Koneko-chan?" Hoping the little girl would pick her up, extracting her from this position before Artemis realized what was going on.

Koneko smiled, nodded, and lightly tapped Artemis on the head. "Wake up Mr. Artemis!" She said in a soft, but cheerful, voice. Luna's frozen look of shock completely unnoticed by the girl.

Artemis blinked, then yawned and blearily looked about. Seeing the position that he and Luna shared, then finally her face (Completely missing her expression in his sleep fogged vision) he muttered "Must still be dreaming. Oh well." His face moved close to Luna's and he kissed her, softly, before laying his head back onto the bed. "Wish this were real!"

Koneko giggled happily. She knew boyfriends and girlfriends kissed, and since Artemis kissed Luna, they MUST be boyfriend and girlfriend! She was so happy for them!

Luna, however, wasn't having as easy a time wrapping her brain about what just happened. Her thoughts honestly sounded more like 'He kissed me! Artemis just KISSED me! That felt really good...BAD! I meant that felt really go...BAD! I wonder how he learned to kiss so well! WAIT! That is not important!' she spent a few more moments trying to figure out what was, and wasn't, important.

Artemis for his part was coming to his own realizations. 'Man, this is a good dream! Luna's lips are so warm! Wait. I...I shouldn't feel heat in a dream. Or presure for that matter!' He opened his eyes and looked over Luna and his positions. 'But, this is a scene like from a dream?'

Noticing the giggles from behind him, he turned and found koneko, with mischief in her eyes, looking at them.

"Luna and Artemis, sitting in a tree..." She began to sing.

"Wait, this is real?" Artemis asked in shocked amazement.

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

'OH HOLY MOON!' Luna thought. 'I ENJOYED that KISS!"

"First comes love!"

Artemis looked at Luna's face, and saw her blush even through the black fur.

"Then comes marrage!" 

Luna looked back at Artemis 'Am I actually...In love with him?' she flipped over, untagling their tails as she did so.

"Then comes Artemis with a baby carrage!"

"LUNA...DON'T!" Artemis cried out, just before Luna pushed against his stomach and chest with all four feet, launching him off the bed with the combined strength of a cat and panicking woman.

"I...need to think!" Luna said, hopping up and hiding atop Koneko's bureau.

Artemis lay on the floor and groaned. "She didn't use claws, so that's a good sign."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Luna didn't get much time to think, as it turned out. "Koneko! Time to wake up!" Mrs. Shimaka knocked on the door, before opening it. She found her daughter, wide awake, and holding the white cat, Artemis, and apparently trying to talk the black cat, Luna she remembered, into coming down from the dresser. 

"Koneko, where did those cats come from?"

"Ms. Luna and Mr. Artemis came so I wouldn't be scared last night." Answered the little girl. "They slept with me, then when I woke up the cuddled together, and then they woke up and kissed! Now Ms. Luna won't come down, though." 

Mrs. Shimaka chuckled. "Cats don't kiss, Dear." Picking up Luna she thought to herself 'They can look embarrassed, though.' 

Koneko looked at Artemis "Yes you can can't you Mr. Artemis?" Then she kissed the top of the mostly white, ignoring the red tint showing through his fur, cats forehead.

Mrs. Shimaka set the other cat on the bed, then went to her daughters closet. "Good news, Koneko-chan! We're going to visit grandma!"

"Goodie!" The little girl squealed. "Is daddy coming?" 

"He'll come up this weekend. Now help me pack your things."

The two Shimaka women were soon packing, the two cats watching from different perches. The mother thought that her daughter asking the black cat about which dress to pack was just too cute. Of course she didn't notice the cat nodding or shaking her head at each choice. 

"Ms. Luna says I should pack this dress!" Holding up a soft blue sundress. 

"Well, Ms. Luna has very good taste!" She said, folding the dress to pack. It was a nice dress, actually.

Luna, for her part, was just enjoying not having to think about Artemis.

After the bag was packed, mother and daughter went down for breakfast, the cats following. Detective Shimaka was waiting for them "There are my two ladies! Where did those cats come from?"

"This is Mr. Artemis, and that is Ms. Luna!" Koneko chirped thinking her father was being very silly. Of course, she had forgotten he only knew them as human.

Mrs. Shimaka, seeing her husbands perplexed expression leaned forward and kissed his cheek, whispering "They are Artemis and Luna's cats. I think they named them after each other." 

"Ah!" He crouched down. "Well hello there, Mr. Artemis! You two Ms. Luna!" He looked up. "Do you know how they got in the house?"

"A widow is how. The one in spare bedroom was open."

"They came so I would feel good last night! They slept with me!" 

"More likely, they got locked out of the house, and wanted a warm place to sleep." Mrs. Shimaka said with a laugh.

Mr. Shimaka stood up. "I don't know. My mother had a cat, Tiger, when I was little. I swear they knew when some one was upset and would climb on their lap and make them pet him. I think old Tiger thought if he felt good, then they must feel good as well!"

The two Moon Cats thought that sounded logical. Of course, they are Moon CATS.

Soon, the family was at the table, and Artemis and Luna rather enjoying their own portion of eggs in saucers on the floor, since Mrs. Shimaka never let a guest leave hungry. 

"So, you excited about visiting Grandma?" Detective Shimaka asked his daughter. He smiled when she just nodded, her mouth full of food. "Good, you have fun while your there!"

"I will daddy!" Looking over at the cats, she asked "can Artemis and Luna come, daddy?"

"I think they should stay with their family, Dear. They'll be here when you get back!" He winked. "Both sets of them!"

"Okay, daddy." She said, with only a little pout.

Looking to his wife, the Detective turned to the travel arrangements. "Sgt. Hibuki will pick you up and take you to the train station at two. Are you both packed and ready?"

"Yes, Dai! I just wish you were coming too!" 

He smiled, and squeezed his wife's hand. "Just a couple of days and I testify, then it's all over. I'll sleep at the station, till then." He winked. "Some of the guys are already planning which drunk tank to toss me into!"  
She giggled. "As long as it isn't with the 'Working Girls', I don't care!" Causing her husband to chuckle, too.

Kuragi was terrified. The Gaki was angry, armed, and in his house. More importantly he was at the foot of his bed! "I didn't know!"

"Perhaps not." Gaki replied, absent-mindedly flipping the knife in his hand open and closed, the butterfly knife clicking like a metronome. "But this is still going to cost you. Let's say, triple what we originally agreed?"

"Three Times?" The Yakuza businessman paled.

"You're right. Four times the original price!" Gaki walked to the mans balcony, pocketing the knife. "I'll contact you with the location to bring the money tomorrow evening." Then he seemed to vanish.

Kuragi ran out to his balcony and searched around and below it, then ran back inside to find his supposed bodyguards.

Gaki, for his part, just chuckled as he watched the half-dressed man from the roof. He then calmly walked over to the other side of the apartment building, and climbed down the fire escape. He slipped into the car waiting for him and nodded to the driver. "It is on. Are the other boys ready?"

"Yeah, we have the van and Toku called to say the boat has been secured." He chuckled. "He also said heroin is going to shoot up in price on the street."

"'Shoot up in price' will it? What a fascinating choice of words." The assassin chuckled.

The younger assassin looked at his boss. "Sir...I'm not sure about the girl. I mean, the adults sure, kill them both no problem. And if those Senshi are stupid enough to interfere, whack them too, but the little girl doesn't deserve it!" He shuddered to himself.

Gaki looked at the driver, frowning, but nodded. "Okay, we'll leave the girl alive...But it's coming out of your share if the oyabun wannabe throws a fit." 

"I can live with that."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"Why did I let you talk me into this?" Luna glared at Artemis as they hid under a bush. The under cover police car picking up the Shimaka girls only a few feet away. "We could just change into humans and say good bye to both of them, at the car. We don't have to go to the train station." Luna wouldn't admit she WANTED to go, but she was trying to be realistic. Really. She even tapped the tool that would allow them to do it. "I have the pen right here!"

"Because you want to see Koneko off, too! Now remember, when the door opens, run in and hide!"

"You do realize they will catch us, right?" 

"Think positive!"

Luna just shook her head. Both cats watched as the humans stepped out of the house, and walked to the car. Mrs. Shimaka let Koneko in the back, leaving the door open, then went to help Officer Tanaka put the luggage into the trunk.

Artemis and Luna dashed into the still open rear door, and hid under the seats. Artemis holding a paw up to his lips so Koneko knew to be quiet. Neither realized they left the Disguise pen behind.

Sgt Hibuki looked back and smiled at the girl's giggles, not really knowing what caused them.

Soon, they where off, and no one noticed the two cats till Artemis poked his tail out from under it by mistake. Mrs. Shimaka leaned down to look under the seat "how did you get in here! Bad kitty...Kitties!" She reached under the seat and pulled both cats out by the scruff of their necks. "How did you get in here?" The pointed look she gave her daughter revealing how SHE thought they did.

The sergeant looked back. "She didn't move from her seat, though I bet they are why she was giggling before we left. They did it on their own." 

"Sarge, aren't those the cats..."  
The Sergeant looked over at his partner and just mouthed "Saw nothing!"

"Um, yeah...right." 

Mrs. Shimaka, and the two cats, missed that exchange, as she set Luna on her daughter's lap, while Artemis found him self on her own. "Can you drive them back to the neighbor hood? I forgot to find out Mr. Chiba's address, but the cats come over all the time."

"Sure, no problem ma'am." He glanced back with a smile, then looked forward.

He only had enough time to widen his eyes before the other car hit them head on!

Artemis, who was just sitting on the mother's lap, was launched forward, fortunately landing feet first against the now shattered window, the safety glass barely holding together. Luna on the other hand was clutched tightly in Koneko's arms, and stayed with the girl, by some turn of fate.

A man wearing a helmet climbed out of the wreaked, car checking to make sure the cops where both out. A van pulled up next to the car, several more men climbing out, two with clubs and one with a stun gun. They pulled open the door, and stunned Koneko's mother, dragging her into the van. Another man reached in and grabbed Koneko, pulling her, and the black cat in her arms out. Ducking back into the van, they tore off, leaving the other car where it crashed.

Artemis stood up and ran to the back seat "LUNA!" He yelled, not caring who heard him. He was just about to hop out, seemingly to chase the van on foot.

"Help..." Sgt Hibuki wheezed. "Oh please help..." He was looking right at the white cat...gasping for air while blood ran down his forehead. His partner was halfway through the windshield but somehow was still breathing. Artemis was left with a choice.

Jumping to the console, he stepped down on the mike's button. "Help! I need help here! There was an accident and two officers are hurt!" 'I'll find you Luna...and you Koneko! And when I find them!'

The snarl of rage would have been far more fitting on a tiger, then a small White House cat.

AN: Muwahahahahahahaaha...but what are we going to do? Artemis is pissed, but what can a little house cat do? I wonder.

Course, there is still Tuxedo Mask in the wings, but can a rose tossing hero, and a cat, really match a troop of trained killers? Before they can kill their victims? This is what we call a "cliff hanger" children. Don'cha just hate me?


	7. Building Rage

When the Senshi Is Away, the Cats Will Play

Chapter 7

Artemis watched from behind a trash can as the ambulance and fire people pulled the now sedated Sgt. Hibuki from the wrecked police car. The grizzled old cop had refused to be moved until his partner was out of the wreck. Either way, both would have probably died if Artemis hadn't stayed and used the radio.

For some reason that didn't really make Artemis feel better. 

Seeing that both injured men were on their way to the hospital, Artemis dashed out from behind his cover, and down the street, all the way thanking fate that they had chosen THIS route to the train station.

He dashed between a woman's legs when he got to the building, and ran up the stairs, like demons were chasing him. When he reached the apartment he wanted he jumped up and bounced off it with a loud thud. He quickly repeated the jump, doing his best to knock on the door.

Mamoru Chiba opened his door after the third thud, and barely dodged the white blur on its way to his fourth knock. In truth, he barely stayed his hand from throwing the rose, when he realized it was Artemis. "Artemis? What the heck?!"

"Mamoru, I need your help! Call the girls!"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The Gaki looked at his captives with a dark smile. The woman was bound to her chair, while the little girl and her cat were locked in a cage. "Mrs. Shimaka! Why the long face? It's a lovely evening outside and you're on Tokyo Bay! Just breathe in that salt air." He took a deep breath himself.

"You monster! Let us go!" She yelled in reply. Her defiance a thin layer covering her terror.

"I am sorry, Mrs. Shimaka, but I can't let you go." The assassin pulled a chair over and sat down in front of the frightened woman. "You see you're bait! For your husband and the Sailor Senshi, in fact. Letting you go means not getting a shot at them!"

The mother looked at him in horror, and confusion. Luna's expression mirrored her as she thought 'Why is he after the Senshi?'

"Why are you after my husband? And what the hell does the Senshi have to do with anything?" 

The crack of flesh meeting flesh echoed off the walls of the cargo hold. Gaki looked at the hand he had slapped the woman with "Watch your language! You don't want Koneko-chan to learn such language. Also, you know why I am after your husband. I think, also, that you know why I expect the Senshi. After all, they did save your life the last time I tried for you and your family."

Luna gasped in the cage, even as Koneko held her closer, crying into her fur. 'He thinks Artemis and I are SENSHI! Why?'

Mrs. Shimaka's thoughts were the same as the cats. "You think Luna and Artemis are Senshi! They are just little children, why would you think that?"

"Oh, maybe the moon on the girls forehead? Or maybe the boys tail!"

"What tail?" The mother yelled, horrified at this mad mans questions, and that he was focused on those innocent twins. "And little Luna isn't a Senshi! She's just a fan that is all!"

'Well, sometimes.' Luna thought, shocking her self with the trivial thought. 'What am I going to do?' She thought, absently rubbing her cheek against the little girls, trying to give her some comfort.

Gaki kicked the chair he was sitting on away from him. "So you don't know them, eh? Maybe your daughter does! I'll go ask her!" With three long strides, he came to the cage and roughly opened the door on its side, reaching his hand in for the screaming girl.

Luna saw red, and brought a claw down on the killer's hand, opening four bloody gashes in his hand. "Leave her alone you beast!" The cat snarled, without thinking.

"Di...Did Luna just talk?" The shocked Mrs. Shimaka stuttered.

The Gaki shut the cage door, a thoughtful look on his face, completely ignoring his bleeding hand. "Yes. Yes I believe she...Luna...did!"

_______________________________________________________________________________

Artemis was pacing back and forth, listening to Mamoru talk on the phone. The tall man sighed and hung up. "I'm sorry. It..."  
Artemis interrupted him. "It was the wrong hotel, again. I know I speak English! I don't believe you don't have her number! Isn't Usagi your girlfriend?" The cat snarled.

Mamoru knew what the white cat was going through, and didn't take it personally. "Usagi said she would call me every night! You and Luna have a communicator, so I didn't bother to get one."

"So when are you expecting her to call tonight? We'll talk to her then!" 

"About half an hour ago. I hung up about ten minutes before you got here." Mamoru sighed. "There is nothing we can do until she calls tomorrow."

"WE CAN LOOK!"

"Where?" Mamoru demanded. "They grabbed Luna and the Shimaka's almost, what? An hour ago? They could be anywhere, and the cops are probably already looking. They could be anywhere!" Sighing, he picked the white cat up, and set him on the couch. "I know how you feel, Artemis! I really do!"

"I know Mamoru. But...I'm afraid! What if Luna's hurt? Dead? Ignoring Koneko or her mother, for that matter! What if..." The words caught in Artemis's throat. 

"What if this youma gets lucky? What if this time I'm too late? What if..." Mamoru paused "What if I never see her again? I have asked myself all those questions. Heck, I know Usagi's asked herself all of them for each and every one of us!" He shook his head. "Tell me this, Artemis. Do you think she's dead?"

"NO!"

"And do you love Luna?"

"OF COURSE...um...not?" The white cat stammered, startled by the question, and his instinctive answer. 

"AH HA! I knew it!" Mamoru crowed, partly because Artemis admitted it, and mostly because he had successfully distracted the cat.

"Geesh. Now you sound like Minako and Usagi!"

"So what?" Mamoru said. "I know what Usako would tell you right now."

"Yeah? What is that?"

"That if you love her, and you know she's all right...alive and well...then she is!" Mamoru smiled. "Me and Usako are living examples after all!"

"Yeah, she would say that. There is just one small problem."  
"What's that?"

Artemis lay down, and closed his eyes with a sigh. "I said I believe she's alive. I didn't say I thought she was okay."

"Oh..."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Luna looked up at the cargo hold doors, sunlight filtering through. The Gaki had left shortly after she spoke, looking thoughtful. She had ended up speaking with Mrs. Shimaka most of the night, confirming that Artemis and herself were the ones who had rescued them, and were the 'twins' though she couldn't change without her 'magical object'. She had managed to deny any connection to the Senshi, however.

That was really easy to do, since the cage was to small for her to do the flip required to pull out the communicator. She would have in a second and damn the consequences if she could.

The two humans had finally fallen asleep, though Luna couldn't. She was to worried about Artemis.

"I hope he wasn't hurt." She muttered to herself, not having seen him land during the accident.

"Who?" Asked the Gaki, having somehow approached without her noticing.

'I must be more tired then I thought.' Luna stood and looked at the assassin. "I suspect you already know that, beast!" Throwing the mans own phrase in his face.

"Should you really be calling anyone a beast, kitten?" The Gaki chuckled. "And yes, I think I know. The white cat...Artemis? The boy who spotted me that fateful day? Your mate, perhaps?"

Luna just glared at him.

"Hmm, struck a nerve! Well, is he going to come and save you, Luna-chan?"

"You better hope not! He'll kill you, you fool!" She was bluffing, but hopped he wouldn't realize that.

The Gaki chuckled once again. "He'll try, I am sure. He might even have a chance, from what I saw at the picnic table! Either way, I can't wait!" He turned to the exit, then looked over his shoulder. "Any message for him? I am about to call the good detective with my demands, you see."

Luna looked at the dangerous, and insanely cheerful, assassin, shuddering at the maniac gleam in his eyes. She didn't know what scared her more. His cheerful smile or the fact he seemed too sincerely intend to take a message for her. She lay down and muttered to herself.

"What was that? I didn't quite hear it."  
"I said tell him...it was like a dream for me, too..."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The ringing phone woke Mamoru. The dark haired man rolled and fell off the couch he had fallen asleep on the night before. The white cat on his chest rode him down. Reaching up he hit the speaker button on his phone. "Hello?"

"Mr. Chiba?" Came the voice of Detective Shimaka from the phone.

"Um...yeah?"

"Mamoru...This is Daisuke Shimaka...and I am sorry for calling so early. This is going to sound like a strange question, but do you know where your daughter is?"

Mamoru's brain was still foggy from sleep, so he didn't really think about the question. "Yeah?" He wondered why some cop would want to know if Chibi-Usa was in the future or not. That woke him up enough to realize he wasn't being asked about small lady.

The relieved sigh from the speaker caught Artemis's attention. "Good! Could you come to my home? There is something that may concern you and your family I need to talk to you about."

Mamoru knew what had happened to this mans family, along with Luna as a cat, but didn't know why this man would call him about it. "Why? What is going on?"

The man sighed, a shudder audible through the phone in his breath. His voice was strained when he spoke again "My wife and daughter were...kidnapped...yesterday afternoon. The... Man... Who has them called with his demands. He said something that made me fear he had your daughter, and suggests he has an interest in your family."

"What? Why?"

"Something he said when he gave me his demands. I quote: Tell Artemis that Luna says 'It was like a dream for me, too' ... end quote."

Mamoru was looking at Artemis as the detective spoke, and saw the cat's face as his expression changed from worried concern to something darker. Mamoru imagined that was the face a man saw, just before the tiger killed him, and was afraid.

He just didn't know whom he was afraid for.

AN: Do you feel tense? Do you feel, less then satisfied? Are you biting your nails wondering what I am thinking? GOOD! That was my goal. And Commander Galos, thanks for glancing at this before post.


	8. Escape and Invade

When the Senshi Are Away, The Cats Will Play

Chapter 8

"Sir, I'd like to take them something to eat." Taro said, looking at his boss, the man known only as the Gaki.

The assassin looked at the younger man, remembering their discussion the morning before in the car. 'He's going soft. This will be the last job with him.' The man shrugged. "Sure, take them something, and a bit for the cat." He chuckled.

"Um... Yes sir." He dished out some stir-fry and into some bowls.

"Oh, and Taro... Don't let the cat loose, and if she says anything, ignore her."

Taro, who knew nothing of Luna's true nature by the Gaki's own desire, looked at his boss and nodded. He carefully kept his thoughts from his face 'He is completely insane!' he thought as he walked through the corridors of the small ship, carefully avoiding the still damp red-brown stains on the floors and walls. Soon he entered the cargo hold, glancing at the prisoners as he cleared a table, through the expedient act of shoving all the papers and files off the surface.

Setting the food down, he crossed to Mrs. Shimaka, and with a key removed one of her wrists from the handcuffs binding her to the chair. He stepped away, returning seconds later with the food and handing it to her. 

"It's cool enough to eat with your fingers." He said, before walking to the cage, stopping to pick up the other two bowls on the way. 

Carefully, he opened the door opposite the cat-gripping Koneko, slipping the two bowls of stir-fry into the cage, and shutting the door. His eyes never left the cat, making sure it didn't charge the door. "He looked at the girl, then, and said "I brought some food for you and your kitty. Okay?" He asked. He really did not like the girl being there. He nodded when she didn't say anything in return, and stood, starting again for the door.

"Let us go!" The mother screamed, finally working through her fear, to anger.

The young man looked back at her, but didn't speak. Stepping through the door, he shut it with the finality of a bank vault.

"You bastard! LET US GO!" She pulled back her arm to throw the bowl into the door,

A sharp voice stopped her. "Stop!" Luna yelled. "Eat the food. Do not throw it away."

"Why?" Snarled the angry woman, who turned her glare to the Moon Cat.

Luna glared right back, unimpressed. "Because you have been under a lot of stress and crying, nearly non-stop, and will need the strength from that meal when your chance comes to escape!"

"What chance?" She rattled the chains holding her to the seat.

"One will come, Mrs. Shimaka." Luna wiggled free of Koneko's grasp, and bent over her own food beginning to eat. 'I hope!'

__________________________________________________________________________________

Artemis dug his claws into the upholstery he sat on, ripping a small hole in Mamoru's rear seat. "Where the hell IS he?" He yelled, looking out the window at the Shimaka home.

Mamoru and Artemis had arrived, three hours ago, to the Shimaka's house. Mamoru had gone inside, telling Artemis he would come out and tell him what was going on as soon as he had a chance. Artemis hadn't seen the dark haired man since then.

The cats eyes scanned the house for the thousandth time, futilely looking for any sign of the once and future prince of earth. He hated not being able to do anything when he spotted the bush where he and Luna had hidden.

"Hey." He muttered, spotting a glint of gold. "We left the pen!" He jumped out of the car, wanting that pen back, since it was the only connection between him and Luna.

Of course, his focus on he house had made him miss the animal control officer. The officer didn't miss him, however, and soon had him caught in the cat net he had in his hands (Someone had complained about strays getting into their garbage.) The man had seen Artemis jump from the car, so he took note of the car and the spot it was parked, then turned back to walk to his truck. "Don't worry kitty. I will come and leave a note on the car, so your owner knows where to come pick you up. Careless of him to leave the window open."

Artemis wasn't listening, being to busy berating himself. 'Stupid! What the hell am I going to do for Luna, if I am stuck in the pound!"

"Hey, you...Wait!" The yell caught both man and cat short, Artemis swearing he knew the voice but not placing it. He struggled to flip over in the net so he could see who was speaking.

"Yes? Is this your cat?"

"No." The other man said. "But I would appreciate it if you'd let him go, anyway."

"Why?"

Artemis finally managed to get a look at the man, and gasped.

Sgt. Hibuki held up his badge and police ID. "I'd consider it a favor." He turned his gaze to the stunned moon cat. "This cat saved my life, once."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Taro returned to the hold nearly an hour after his first appearance. He was rather surprised to see they had all eaten their food. True, Mrs. Shimaka had apparently hurled the bowl into the door, after eating, but the shards of ceramic had no food mingled in with it, so she must have eaten first.

He walked over to the cage, and the sleeping cat and girl inside. He quietly opened the door, and reached into the cage silently, not wanting to wake either occupant up. Of course, he did this unaware that Luna was intelligent and was only pretending to sleep.

She pounced on his lower arm, howling like a banshee and digging all four claws onto his bicep. She held on for dear life as the screaming man pulled his arm from the cage, but quickly dropped to the floor when she was on the other side of the wire door. 

Taro couldn't stop his hard punch, slamming his fist into the tortured arm even as Luna fled it. He howled in pain from his own strike. Luna smiled savagely at what she thought was a wonderful sound.

She jumped onto the man again, ripping her claws into his thighs then launching herself onto his face. She ricocheted off the mans face and into Mrs. Shimaka's Lap, where she paused and turned to face the young assassin.

The moment he started towards her, Luna jumped free of the woman's lap, heading straight for his neck, but her luck had finally ran out. His fist caught her in mid air, and launched her across the bay, and into a large cargo drum. The last thing Luna seeing before falling unconscious being the label "Warning...Ether." 

"What the hell is going on!" Gaki yelled, a highly illegal handgun gripped in his left hand. Spotting the unconscious Luna, he ran over to make sure she was still breathing. He sighed when he confirmed she was still alive.

He looked up at the bleeding and cursing Taro. "Toss me that pet carrier, Taro."

The younger man growled, and threw the plastic cage at Gaki, who just chuckled as he caught it. "Why didn't we put her in there, in the first place?"

"You didn't want to take the little girl's kitty." Gaki snarled his mood changing dangerously fast, and the red dot of the pistol's laser sight finding Taro's right breast. The young man froze in terror. "Your heart is getting soft, my friend."

"Not to mention, you tossed one of the most perfect women in the world across a room!" His boss shook his head, then chuckled and holstered the weapon. The loving way he looked at the cat, and gentle movements used to put her in the cage scared Taro more then the gun did.

"Gaki...It's a cat." His mouth spoke without his mind's permission.

The more skilled assassin shrugged. "Okay, so she isn't completely perfect." Gaki picked up the small cage. "Oh, bring the girl. Her father will want to speak to her when I call in a few minutes."

Taro grabbed the cage, lifting it carefully, ignoring the girl inside as she cried for her mommy and "Ms. Luna". As he left, he glanced at Mrs. Shimaka, wondering why she was so quiet through the entire affair.

He didn't notice the absence of his keys, or the shine of metal in the quiet mother's lap.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

'Okay, its been five minutes, they aren't coming back.' Kasumi Shimaka thought to herself, then grabbed the keys in her free hand and started undoing the locks holding her down. There where times she was happy her husband was a cop, and this was one of them. Handcuff keys are distinctive, if you know what they are, after all.

She stood, and started for the door the killers had walked through, but stopped. She wasn't sure how to proceed. She was a mother, and wanted to go after her child...her daughter. But she knew she couldn't take on two, or more, trained killers. But she wanted to save her daughter.

_"Because you have been under a lot of stress, and have been crying, nearly non-stop, and will need the strength from that meal when your chance comes to escape." _Luna's words came to her.

'She PLANNED this?' The woman thought, not knowing the cat had come up with the idea on the fly. 'She meant for ME to escape without them? But what about Koneko?' The woman looked up and saw the trap door atop a ladder leading to the deck doors of the hold. 'No, she must have meant for me to get my husband!' She thought. She pulled off her skirt, and tossed it onto the chair, glad she had worn "Respectable" under things today. 

'Thank god I was a member of the swim team!' she thought, even as she started climbing the ladder, hopping they weren't actually out at sea.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Sgt. Hibuki and Artemis stood on the sidewalk staring at each other. "Meow?" Artemis tried gamely.

"No way, tomcat. I ain't buying what you're selling." The cop said. He would have crossed his arms, but the sling his badly sprained wrist was in prevented the movement.

Artemis looked around, then sighed. "You got out quick. How's your partner?"

"They say he'll pull through, but it was touch and go for a while." He gestured to the bandage on his head. "This little dent in my skull, and the shock I went into from it where the biggest deal for me. I made them let me out of that living hell they call a hospital this morning." He looked at the white cat. "My partner and I probably owe you our lives. Thanks."

"Just don't tell anyone about me, and we're even." Artemis said, turning towards the Shimaka house. 

"Don't worry. They wouldn't believe me anyway. Heck, I am wondering if I have finally cracked."  
Artemis glanced up, almost smiling. "That is the first sign that you likely aren't insane...Asking if you are, that is." 

"Ah... Thanks for telling me." 

Artemis ducked under the bush, and grabbed the disguise pen. He then did the flip required to make it disappear into his sub-space pocket.

"So, you're a magical cat, eh?" The grizzled cop said. "By any chance, do you have any magic to find the girl and her mother?"

Artemis sighed, and looked at the house. "Nope. I can't find them, and I can't find Luna."

"The other cat?" At the cat's nod, the Sgt. continued. "Not easy, is it."  
"Not in my experience. Never is."

"So what are you doing here?" They both asked at once.

Artemis chuckled, and answered first. "I found out that the guy who nabbed them all is calling and giving demands. I wanted to know what was going on, but I can't get inside."

"I wanted to apologize for loosing the detective's family." Hibuki answered after Artemis. "Maybe I can help you?"  
"How?" The cat asked.

The Sergeant bent down, and picked up the white cat, holding him up to the sprained wrist. "There enough room for you to hide in there?"

"Yeah...hope you aren't allergic to cats."

"Naw...had been thinking about getting one lately, actually." The cop said, walking to the door, and knocking. Another detective answered. "Sarge? What are you doing out of the hospital? I thought you where out for a couple of days at least!"

"What, and eat THAT food? You must be kidding." Hibuki smiled, but soon sobered. "Is Detective Shimaka available? I think I owe him an apology. "

"Come in, but you know he doesn't blame you."

"He doesn't have to. I blame me enough for the both of us." Artemis nodded in his hiding place, relating to the sergeant.

They stepped into the living room, where three more plain-clothes cops, and Mr. Shimaka, sat with all sorts of electronics. Mr. Shimaka was playing a tape with the Gaki, his voice distorted, speaking_. "You have my demands, Detective. You don't testify, and come to warehouse ninety-three in the Tokyo Business Harbor at midnight, and I will let the girl and her mother go."_

_"And what about my daughter and wife. You haven't proven they are alive yet!"_

_"Just one moment, Detective." _The sound of another phone being picked up, and a muffled voice. Then _"Daddy?" _Koneko's voice came through clear and scared.

_"Koneko! Are you all right? Is your mother hurt?" _The frantic father, not the detective, answered.

_"Momma is okay, but they hit Ms. Luna really hard." _The girl was crying. _"She tried to fight one of the bad men and they hurt her bad!" _Her sobs where heart wrenching to the injured cop and moon cat alike, the mans only action while listening being to reach into the sling and force Artemis's claws out of his skin.

The phone was hung up, and the distorted voice spoke again. _"Midnight, Detective." _Then the click of a hung up phone.

"So what's the plan...Sarge?" Mr. Shimaka stood up, gesturing to a seat. "Sit down, Sarge. You shouldn't be out!"  
"I am out, and I am apologizing. I should have seen that stupid car coming and done something. I screwed up and you're paying for it."

"No! I should have sent them away sooner! It's MY fault."

"Sergeant! Detective! IT is NOT your fault. It's this scum suckers fault and the guy who hired him! Got that?"

"Yes sir."

"Yes, Captain."

"Now, lets focus on planning..." He was interrupted by the phone ringing. The cops around him scrambled, typing on a computer, and switching on recorders and other such actions. Mr. Shimaka picked up the phone on the third ring.

"Yes?"

"Hiroshi?" Came the voice of the detective's wife.

"Kasumi!" The detective gripped the table. "Where are you, what's going on?"

"I'm in a phone booth, on Seventh Street!" She was yelling and weeping. "Oh god, they still have Koneko!"

"Kasumi...dear...I need you to calm down. Where are they?" Detective Shimaka wanting to know if his wife was going to be safe where she was.

"On that ship! I can see it from here!"

One of the cops had already called up a map, and glancing at the trace information. "Got it, sir. She isn't to far from an old food warehouse. It hasn't been running for twenty years or more, but it has a derelict ship moored at its dock. That must be where they are." He said in a whisper.

The detective nodded. "Honey, is there a warehouse with a dock that the ships at?"

"Yes! Get Koneko and Luna away from them! That man is insane!"

"We will dear...now I want you to find a place to hide, and a black and white will be out to get you. I'll send someone you know to get you." He looked at the sergeant, raising an eyebrow. 

The grizzled cop's eyes said 'Like you had to ask.' 

"You remember Sgt. Hibuki, right?"

"Yes...but they killed him!"

"Seems Sergeants don't die, dear. He'll be along in a black and white, don't come out of hiding for ANYONE else!"

"Okay...I love you!"  
"I love you, too."

The captain had already pulled out his keys, even as his other hand was dialing on his cell phone. "We're going to need swat for this. Take my car." He pointed to the garage. "We parked it in there so they wouldn't see it here."

"Right, Captain...I'll even try not to crash it, for you."

"Right." The Captain turned away, barking commands into the mobile phone.

"Mr. Chiba." Mr. Shimaka said, walking into the kitchen, where a female officer and Mamoru had been sitting all this time. "Seems it's almost all over. I am sorry we had to keep you here." 

"I understand." He said, noticing the injured cop, and the passenger in his sling with widened eyes. "Can I leave now? Or do you need me to stay?"

"Yeah, though this Officer and her partner will go with you. When are you expecting your family back from Hokkaido?" 

The sometimes hero's eyes left the door to the garage as it shut. "Soon, I hope." 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Hibuki pulled up to the corner the electronics man had told him, barely having stopped before the door was thrown open and the half naked form of Mrs. Shimaka was in the seat. She was shivering and wet. "Holy...here!" The Detective said, pulling off his jacket for the woman.

Artemis hopped out from the floorboard and was going to go through the window, when Mrs. Shimaka yelled "ARTEMIS?"

The white cat paused, instinct making him look back. "My god, you did come?" The woman said, looking at him like she expected an answer.

"Yes..." The white cat said, and sighed when she didn't look surprised. 'The girls are NEVER going to let us live this down.' "I take it Luna spoke to you?"

"No, she spoke to that Gaki bastard." The woman almost spit. "She said you'd come...and I hope she's right about the other part."

"What other part?"

"I hope you kill him!" She snarled. The Sergeant and the white cat flinching at the hate in her eyes. 

The sergeant looked down. "I can't say I disagree with the lady." 

Artemis just nodded, and hopped out the window, running for the dock.

"Your wish, is my command, Luna!" He snarled, even as his feet found the rotting wood of the dock. "Your wish, my command."

AN: Let's see...One evil, nut job assassin? Check. One injured fair maiden (Well, assuming cats can be called maidens.)? Check. One Knight on a white horse? Um.... No. I got one seriously pissed off white cat, though! 


	9. Artemis Strikes!

Disclaimer: I just own the idea, and not all of that. Sailor Moon and all of its characters are NOT mine. Wish they were though!

When the Senshi Are Away, the Cats Will Play

Chapter Nine

The Gaki sat, studying the architectural diagrams, and some photographs, of the fish cannery the ship he sat in was moored at. The plan was to let the police get their men 'In position' at the other warehouse, on the other side of the bay, then call and inform the detective of the change of meeting place, half an hour before midnight. Between the doors of the cannery being welded or nailed shut, with the exception of only two (Thanks to his men) and the very limited time the cops will have to react, the assassination and escape should be smooth. It actually was a good plan and might have worked, too.

Taro burst into the captain's office, which Gaki had taken for his own use. "Sir, the woman is gone!"

"What?" Gaki yelled, standing "How?"

"She got my keys, but I don't know how!" The younger man admitted, holding up his key clip ring. "I checked every time I went near her! I must have dropped them when that cat attacked me."

Gaki frowned, then stood and stomped into the cabin door at the back of the office. "Yes, the cat! Very cleaver Luna! Stealing Taro's keys!" He shook his head with a frown. "I should have suspected."

"I take it that Mrs. Shimaka is gone, then?" Luna, still hurting from the younger mans punch. She knew he was there with the assassin, but had stopped caring.

Gaki ignored the stunned Taro. "Yes, and I must admit, I'm impressed. None of my guards noticed her escaping, but she's had over an hour to run. I figure the police will be here soon."

"You should prepare to surrender then." Luna said with far more confidence then she actually felt. 

"No. Just means plan B!" Turning to Taro. "Call Deke, and tell him to get ready for the cops, and tell Kanaka to drop the pier. " 

"That cat TALKED!" The younger man head rocked back as the Gaki slapped him. 

"Did you hear me? Tell them! The last thing you need to do is screw up my orders!" The Gaki kicked Koneko's cage when she started crying. "Do you want me to kill you?" 

Taro stepped back, not sure if the assassin was referring to him or the girl. He quickly relayed the orders, and listened to the responses. "Done. Kanaka said there is a storm coming in, so the harbor patrol won't be a problem. I'll go prep the boats." Quickly he turned and started out of the captain's cabins.

"Good, good...Oh Taro?" The Gaki called. "I'll have Himako do that." His pistol coming up and pointing strait at Taros chest. Three shots rang out even as the younger man turned and tried to run, blood blossoming to coat the wall. 

The Gaki pulled his own radio from his pocket, ordering the woman to prepare the escape vehicles. Turning to the crying Koneko and shocked Luna he shrugged. "What? He was unreliable."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Artemis was barely across the middle stretch of the dock when a loud crack sounded. He looked up at the darkening sky, thinking it was thunder, then jumped in fear when the crashing and splash of the wood he had been walking on only a second before collapsed into the sea. 

The white cat stepped away in fear, eyes wide and heart pounding. 'Whoa... To close!' He shook off the fear, and turned back to the ship, running for it with all speed. He didn't know what caused the collapse, but he was glad he had gotten across before it happened.

He reached, and passed, the gangplank even as the rain started coming down, running instead to a thick docking rope, and running up it using his claws to dig in for better footing. Even with that, the wind tried to send him to the brink twice. Even with that, though, he soon reached the deck.

He quickly ducked behind a set of oil drums, avoiding the armed man pacing at the top of the gangplank. Artemis watched him for two circuits hearing the crackle of a radio, and a mans voice giving orders. The wind stole the words but the tone was obvious, even at this range.

'Okay, Artemis my boy...' the white cat thought. 'They know about Luna, so the innocent cat routine is a bad idea. Guess I'll have to do this the hard way.' He carefully waited for the mans back to be turned, then did the flip to recover the disguise pen from his sub-space pocket. His paw was on the metal rod and he almost told it to make him a Tiger, like it did before...when he realized the doors would require hands to open. 

'Hmmm...Ah ha!' He nodded to himself, and with a small prayer that the light show would go unnoticed, said "Make me a Tiger/man hybrid!"

After just a few seconds Artemis was looking down at himself, rather pleased with the results. While his form was basically human, he was covered in a thin white pelt, with cat like feet. His hands were like a humans, but they had retractable claws instead of fingernails. He also came equipped with a leather jacket, muscle shirt, and khaki "Cargo" shorts. He would stand only about five-foot even or so, but was otherwise quite satisfied. He even still had his tail!

The clothes he really didn't understand, but assumed it was from reading Minakos Manga. Slipping the pen into a pocket, he peeked from behind the drums once again. Seeing the guard with his back turned, towards his hiding place, he took off faster then thought straight at the man. His clawed hands grabbed his shirt and the waist of his pants and with one hard heave, he tossed the man into the bulkhead next to him, denting the steel with the force.

Artemis cursed, as the man crumpled unconscious to the deck. Partly because he couldn't ask him where Luna and Koneko were and partly due to the radio he dropped, apparently having been talking when Artemis attacked. The voice from the other end was yelling for the man to pick up. 

"Who's there?" The voice called out, even as Artemis turned to walk away. "The cops would have called ahead, and the Senshi give pretty speeches from what I hear...whom does that leave?" The man chuckled. "Is that you, Artemis?"

The cat stopped, listening. He picked up the radio, figuring there was a chance he would let slip where he was. The cat started towards the bridge, only half-paying attention to the man talk.

"You know Luna hasn't stopped talking about you since she got here! Well, not until we kicked her across the room for it, at least." 

"YOU BASTARD!" Artemis bellowed into the radio, then cursed, pausing in the rain to see if anyone was around. The already driving rain had luckily drowned out his cries. 

"Hmmm... That pushed a button!" The radio chuckled.

__________________________________________________________________________________

"Mr. Artemis! I must say your voice isn't as cultured as your fair mates! Still, it is nice to hear it." The Gaki smirked. He let up on the Mike key. "Seems your Artemis is a bit of a hot head."

"Go to hell!" Hissed Luna. Part of her was shocked at her language. The rest wanted to claw the mans eyes out!

"Not yet." The Gaki calmly replied. He leaned down, and opened Koneko's cage, grabbing her arm and pulling the now loudly crying girl from the cage. "Koneko-chan has missed you, too!" The assassin said into the radio.

"Leave them alone, you freak!" 

"This from a talking cat?" The Gaki chuckled. "No, Here is the deal. You leave, and I don't kill them yet! Deal?"

The radio was silent. "Oh, Artemis?" The Gaki's voice was singsong. When the radio remained silent he shrugged. "He must have tossed the radio... Oh well."

Picking up Luna's cage, he put it into Koneko's arms, then grabbed her hair roughly. "You carry that, and don't you dare drop it!" He said in a far to cheerful voice. "We have to hurry and catch our ride!"

The Radio again came to his lips. "Himako, are they ready?"

"Yes Gaki."

"Good."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Artemis had not tossed the radio. He actually had found another thug in the Bridge, and had been fighting him while the Gaki mocked him over the radio. He was looking at said radio now, sitting on the chair once occupied by the assassins Henchmen. 

The henchmen wouldn't need it for a while, being out cold and half way out the glass window of the bridge.

"What is ready, hmmm?" He thought out loud. He looked out the unbroken glass, and spotted a flash of red off the side of the ship, opposite the gangplank. "Oh look, boats!" Artemis rose... Then winced in pain. During the fight, the thug had kicked him hard in the ribs, bruising them at the least. 

Artemis shrugged off the pain, however, and started towards the door on that side of the bridge. "Well, it would be a shame not to see you off, Gaki!"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The Gaki grinned as he kicked open the last door, peering out through the storm to the speedboat meant to serve as an escape vehicle. The woman he had been speaking to on the radio was waving, holding up the controls for the power winch that would lower it to the turbulent seas.

Gaki waved back with his gun hand, still gripping the scared Shimaka girl with his free hand, then gasped in surprise when a white blur slammed into the woman from out of no where. She had not warning, and stood no chance, and soon was bent backwards, Artemis holding her in a choke hold, his other arm trapping hers behind her back.

"Artemis! I thought you had left!" He said happily, while bringing his gun to Koneko's head. 

"Not a chance, looser. Now let Koneko and Luna go, or I'll break this woman's neck!" Artemis yelled. He was bluffing, and knew it, but he couldn't think of what else to do, the gun pointed at the girl's head.

"Oh, very good Artemis! I think you actually mean that!" The Assassin smiled, a hard to see expression through the rain, but visible to the cats excellent vision. "There is just one thing you have forgotten!"

"What, pray tell, is that?"

"I'm the bad guy!" The gun whipped up, and two shots thundered, the bullets slamming into the woman in Artemis's arms. 

Artemis, horror and blood on his face, let the woman drop dead to the deck. He looked down, just in time to notice the red dot on his chest.

"ARTEMIS LOOK OUT!" Luna screamed in terror, even as the Gaki's gun spoke for a third time.

AN: Cliffhangers. You know I love 'em!


	10. Final Battle!

**__**

When the Senshi Are Away, the Cats Will Play

**__**

Chapter Ten

Final Battle

"ARTEMIS! LOOK OUT!" Luna yelled, the terror in her voice punctuated by the thundering roar of the firing pistol. She clenched her eyes shut, sure her scream was too late.

She was almost right.

Artemis threw his body to the side, the animal part of his brain taking control while his logical mind was still stunned. As it was the bullet still grazed his side, causing the white man-cat to hiss in pain. As a side effect, it also snapped him out of his shock.

"You shoot your own people?" Artemis yelled, peering from behind the oil drums. A bullet hit the steel, causing him to duck back behind the dubious cover. 

"You're surprised?" The Gaki yelled, dragging Koneko, and by default Luna, towards the boat hanging just off the side of the ship. "I am, after all, named after a soul-eating monster!" He laughed.

"True!" Artemis called back. He brushed rain soaked hair out of his eyes, while looking around for an idea, both figuratively and literally. He gripped the radio that through everything had remained in his hand, popping the battery off the bottom of the transceiver by mistake. Looking at it, and feeling its weight, he smiled.

He peeked from around the barrels, spotting Gaki taking Luna's cage from the little girl, his attention turned away for just a second. 

Plenty of time!

Artemis jumped up and over the barrels, launching the battery straight at the Gaki with as much strength as he had. While he had aimed for the mans head, he was satisfied when it hammered into his wrist, knocking the firearm out of his grip, and into the sea along with the heavy lithium battery. 

"Oh damn!" The assassin muttered even as Artemis slammed into him, tackling him to the deck. 

The angry moon cat roared in angry joy, finally having the bastard in his grasp. The roar soon became a cry of pain when the Gaki's fists came down on the small of his back in a double axe-handle. 

The Gaki snarled, feeling the animal-man arms loosen around him, and kicked him off, rolling to his feet. He savagely drove a kick into the less skilled fighter's side, sending him splashing into a puddle several feet away.

Artemis hit and rolled, coming to his feet with his own snarl. He touched his side even as he extended his claws. "I am going to kill you!" He yelled.

Two knives appeared in the trained killer's hands. "Come and get it, pussycat!" 

The two very different males charged each other, and soon blood flowed. Artemis, thanking the pen for the thick leather of the jacket, ripped a savage gash into Gaki's shoulder. The favor was paid back by a sharp uppercut to his furred jaw, the Gaki's knife working as a fist pack.

The Gaki quickly took advantage of Artemis's stunned stumble, and kicked Artemis in the stomach, sending him crashing into Koneko, knocking the little girl down, and crushing Luna's cage.

"Luna!" Artemis yelled, sighing in premature relief when the black cat slid mostly uninjured from the wreckage. The sigh soon changed to a scream, however, when one of the assassin's knives embedded its self in his thigh.

"Your strong, Kitty cat, I'll give you that!" The Gaki laughed, displaying confidence though he was careful to stay out of reach. "But you have no skill and a hole in your leg, now!"  
Artemis snarled, and sparing a glance at Luna spoke. "Get Koneko out of here!" The last word turned into a cry of pain as Artemis pulled the blade from his leg, fortunate that it had gone through a pocket as well as the pants legs, and hadn't been as deep as he feared.

Standing, Artemis growled "Come here, Gaki... Time to die!"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"We have to get to that SHIP!" Detective Shimaka screamed his professional manner somewhere beneath the waves with the pier. 

His captain nodded. "Shimaka! Calm down! The Harbor Patrol is sending a boat ASAP! These waves would make it suicide for anything smaller then one of their cutters, so they aren't getting away, son!"

"How do you know that!" 

'I don't' he thought silently to himself, but the captain pointed at the raging ocean. "You think they are going to risk THAT in a motor boat?" His radio called for his attention, and he quickly brought it to his lips. "Captain here!" 

"Sir! This is Swat 3!"

"Go ahead."

"There seems to be activity on the deck."  
"What sort of activity?" The captain said, turning so the wind wasn't so deafening.

The sound of the SWAT team man keying, then releasing the radios toggle came over the air, then he keyed and spoke. "I think a... Youma or something... is fighting the Terrorists!"

"Say WHAT!"

"Sir, Swat 1... Rolo's right. It looks like someone's fighting a guy with white fur and a tail! That ain't the weird part though!"

The Captain and Mr. Shimaka (Who had been shocked into awareness.) Looked at each other and blinked. "What IS the strange part then?"

"The youma seems to be keeping the terrorists away from the girl... but he's injured."

The two men blinked. "Well... I suppose I'll root for the Youma then... Don't tell my granddaughter." The police captain muttered to Shimaka, who just nodded.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Back on the ship, Artemis was still gesturing a challenge at the assassin.

"Come on! Is the big bad hit man scared?"

"Not at all!" The man reached into a jacket pocket, pulling out an electrical lighter, flicking it on. "I just realized that you're standing in a puddle of gasoline!" Tossed the red-hot lighter into the fuel.

Artemis, quick as light, grabbed Koneko and Luna, and dove away from the barrels. The heat of the explosion of flames scorching his coat and the ends of his braid. They fell into a pile, Luna yelling "We have to get out of here!"

"I know that!" Artemis jumped up, looking behind him without noticing the disguise pen falling from his bloodied pocket. He didn't realize that there was an open door right near them, or that another door on the same hall was right next to The Gaki's last position. 

The Gaki did!   
Koneko was the only one who saw him burst out of the door, and screamed "MOMMY!" 

Artemis spun around and blocked the knife, but both flew back into the flames, Gaki's knee hammering Koneko, and kicking her over the side and into the raging ocean.

"KONEKO!" Luna screamed.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Artemis and the Gaki fell through the fiery hell of burning gasoline, and through an open cargo hatch. Both men yelled as they hit the foot of the same ladder that Mrs. Shimaka had used to escape only hours before.

Artemis, true to his nature, landed on top of the assassin, and plowed both fists, one after the other, into the mans face. Yelling in inarticulate rage and savage joy as he felt the mans head bouncing off the metal deck.

The Gaki, growling in pain and his own psychotic rage, took both blows, then retaliated by digging his thumb into the bleeding gash on Artemis's leg. When the cat flinched away from the pain, he threw him off, and rolled away and too his feet. With a stumble, he tossed his smoldering jacket away.

"Your good cat... but I am afraid playtime is OVER!"

"Same for you!" And again they met in a flurry of rage and blows. This time, however, the Gaki's skill didn't help him as the enraged cat dropped to all fours instants before they met and plowed into him with a pounce like tackle, taking him to the floor with all four sets of claws digging into the humans flesh.

"You are a MONSTER!" The white cat yelled. "A beast preying on the weak!"

"You're calling ME a beast?" The Gaki grabbed the braid and pulled with all his maddened strength. "I guess it takes a beast to hunt one!" Slamming a palm into Artemis's nose, knocking him over a table.

Artemis and Gaki rose again, both breathing hard and hurt. Artemis snarled "May the better beast win then!"

"Don't worry! I will!"

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Luna ran to the rail, stopping when her foot hit the blood coated disguise pen. With a yell of joy she called "Make Me HUMAN!" Gripping the pen even as her hands formed she hurled herself over the side of the ship after Koneko.

Koneko, meanwhile, had bobbed to the surface and was struggling to stay there, even as she cried in terror. Her mother had taken her swimming every weekend for as long as she could remember and she was very good, but quick to tire. 

Koneko cried in renewed terror as arms wrapped around her, the cry changing to joy as she saw the golden moon on the woman's forehead. She gripped Luna with all the power in her small form, not even noticing she was an adult and not the child she knew.

"I want my MOMMY!" She yelled even as Luna started swimming to shore.

"Let's find her then!" Luna said. 'You better come back to me, Artemis. If you die I'll KILL you!' Her thought repeating for every stroke in the sea, and as she climbed to the relatively dry beach, holding Koneko to her body, and turning to face the ship, the flames visible even from shore.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

The Cargo hold was filling with smoke, even as the flames spread from the Gaki's coat. Artemis had his back to barrels while he watched the assassin who was glaring at him from some distance off. Both were bleeding from many wounds, and noses and both limped now, tired but neither ready to give up.

Artemis, his eye caught by the red warning label on one barrel, spared on instant to look away from the Gaki. 'Ether! We are fighting in a BOMB!"

That moment of inattention almost killed him, as the Gaki's knife swung in for his throat. The cat, catching the flash of steel out of the corner of one eye blocked with leather sheathed arm, screaming as the blade bit through the leather, cutting a shallow but long line of blood from his arm. The Gaki's body followed, and as had happened to the assassin so many times, Artemis found himself beneath the man, grappling with the knife even as his injured but still fighting fist pummeled his chest and stomach.

"This place is going to explode! We have to get OUT!" Artemis yelled, between grunts of pain.

"To bad! I suppose you'll only lead me into hell by a few instants!" The crazed assassin screamed forcing the knife blade against the cat's throat, a small trickle of blood escaping the shallow nick.

Artemis growled and yelled all at once. Closing his eyes he looked for the strength to push the man off of him. His closed eyes meant that only the Gaki got to see the moon on his forehead glow blindingly silver, instead of its normal gold. Then an implacable wall of force, and into the bulkhead hit the Gaki knocking him across the room.

Artemis opened his eyes, not having any idea how he had thrown the man so far away, and not even caring. Seeing the Gaki stumble to his feet, wiping blood from his lips, he made a decision. "Later, Looser!" He yelled, then jumped, landing on top of the Pyramid of explosive liquid, then jumping from them in a display only a cat could give to catch the ladder and scramble free of the cargo hold.

"GET BACK HERE CAT!" The Gaki yelled, running to the ladder, not realizing the barrels had started to topple, nor that he was in the path of the top most drum's fall until it hit him, and the flames at his feet.

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"NO!" Luna screamed, feeling as though her soul had been ripped from her body as the cargo ship exploded, the rusted hulk literally ripped in half by the titanic forces released by the explosion. "ARTEMIS NO!!!"

She clutched the little girl as closely as the girl held her, crying tears she wouldn't admit to having under any other circumstances. 

Gasping for breath, and grappling for her hard won control, she walked to the edge of the water, staring at the flames for a few more moments. She was feeling so much she didn't know what to do, or say, or think. Koneko slipped from her arms, looking at the flames as well, though she didn't know what it meant or what had happened as the ship sank.

"Where is Mr. Artemis, Ms. Luna?" The frightened girl asked, worried about her other cat friend.

Luna's hands clenched into fists, as her mind settled on the one emotion she always relied on for Artemis "DAMN YOU ARTEMIS! HOW DARE YOU DIE ON ME!"

"Gee...Thanks." A male voice said, followed by a couple of coughs. Looking to their left, the two females saw a white cat-man on the beach, obviously to injured and not quite able to stand.

"ARTEMIS!" Luna yelled, as her emotions flipped around in her mind, she ran to him, dropped to her knees. She looked at him with tears in her eyes for just a second.

Then her lips found his in a kiss so deep that for a few moments, Artemis felt no pain, no fear, and no anger. His mind stopped working, even as his arms went around the black haired cat turned woman, pulling her closer to him. A kiss so deep that it was not between lips, but between souls.

Koneko stood there watching, and like all children her fear had passed quickly when her friends were there. "I knew you were boyfriend and girlfriend!" Her musical giggles breaking them out of their own little world, the one that consisted only of each other.

"Artemis..." Luna said, returning to her proper behavior even though her face was flushed rather prettily. "Take the pen, and change back into a cat. I don't think you can walk anywhere and we have to get you to a vet."

"What ever you say, beautiful..." The white cat said, even as he touched the pen and changed. "Whatever you say."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

"Let me go damn it! LET ME GO!" Detective Shimaka yelled at the officers holding him to the pier. Sgt Hibuki was holding his wife back, both of them having tried to dive into the ocean, and the flaming wreckage.

The captain just stood there and watched, knowing what was coming. That explosion killed anyone on that ship, and their only hope was that Koneko wasn't on that ship. The flaming hull of a red speedboat destroyed that hope for him.

He opened his mouth, about to say something, though he didn't know what, when a scream of "MOMMY!" Came from behind them. He, and Mrs. Shimaka, turned, to see Koneko, wet, muddy, and limping, running straight for her mother, grabbing her and crying. "MOMMYmommymommy..."

"Koneko? KONEKO!" The mother, and then father screamed, both soon wrapping their arms around the way ward child. 

"I'll be damned! Sgt. Make a note that we are to leave Cat like youma alone in the future!" The captain said, laughing as he turned... only to blink in surprise when he found the Sergeant gone. "What the..."

____________________________________________________________________________________

"Hold on, Artemis... I'll find you a doctor." Luna was whispering. Artemis had drifted into unconsciousness a while ago, but she had to keep talking, otherwise she might panic.

"LUNA!" A voice yelled, she spun around, only then realizing the person shouldn't know who she was. 

"Who.." She tried to ask who the man was, but he held up his uninjured hand, then grabbed her arm pulling her to a police car's passenger door. "Get in, I'll take you to a doc!"

"But... How do you know...?" 

The Hibuki pointed down to the wounded white cat. "I owe him me and my partner's life. I owe him." He replied, and pulled out, flipping on the lights and rushing through the streets.

"You know about... Us?" 

"Yeah, and he already made me promise not to tell. I'll make sure my wife knows that, too." He winked. "She's a fine veterinarian though I am sure you two won't think so!"

"Um... Thank you..." 

"No lady. Thank you."

AN: Now all I have to do is type the Epilogue and then all the T's and I's will be done, and the Cat's first tale will be over. Then on with the NEXT one...heh.


	11. Finish of the Start

When the Senshi Are Away, the Cats Will Play

Epilogue

Mamoru sat on the uncomfortable chair sitting just outside customs, while considering Luna's admonition not to tell the girls about their "Adventure". She thought it would make the girls loose respect for the advisors. Mamoru thought the opposite would be the case, but the cat was adamant.

Artemis, happily, had healed quickly from his injuries. Partly this was due to a Moon Cat's nature, but partly it was thanks to Mrs. Hibuki, who the white cat had to admit was the best Vet he had ever had, though he still didn't trust her with a needle. She didn't take that personally.

And thoughts of the injuries summoned up memories of "Nurse" Luna. The black cat had been personally watching over Artemis and, while stern, was also gentle. Her behavior had been such that Artemis had commented on feeling like Usagi.

Mamoru was there for that argument, actually, and it still brought a chuckle (Partly because he had been thinking the same thing). Luna had berated the white cat soundly, then stormed out of the room angry. When Artemis had asked him what that was all about, Mamoru had just said. "I don't know why Usagi does it to me, either!"

'Thinking of the devil' Mamoru stood up, spotting Usagi's rather distinctive hairstyle. Soon he was greeting all the inner Senshi, along with Mr. and Mrs. Aino, with smiles.

"What are you doing here, Mamo-chan?" Usagi asked, hugging her boyfriend. "Not that I am complaining, mind you!"

"Well, one, I wanted to see my little Meatball head!" He dodged the halfhearted slap with a chuckle. "The second reason is out in my car, if you girls want to see it." 

Mr. Aino chuckled. "I know this five when curiosity grabs them. Good Luck, Chiba!" With that he disappeared after the rental van, while Minako's mother went after the luggage, waving the girls to follow Mamoru. 

Mamoru told Mrs. Aino he was parked in the Yellow lot, near the doors, then led the girls out to his car. Luna and Artemis were sitting in the passenger seat when they arrived.

"Luna!" Usagi cried, happily.

"Artemis!" The Minako cried, just as happily. Both cats were soon being hugged by their respective blond. "Why didn't you call us more often?" Minako asked, not noticing Artemis wince as she crushed his bruised ribs.

"They have been busy." Mamoru said, with a grin at Luna. "They had been playing with kids in the park. Artemis actually ended up on the wrong end of a dog pile, so you might want to hold him more gently."

Luna sighed in relief. It wasn't the story they were planning on using, but it worked. Minako cried out "Pour Artemis!" And soon had him settled comfortably in her arms.

"He was playing Super Hero." Luna said, though there was softness to her voice the girls missed.

"Yeah! In the Name of Venus... I was punished well!" They all laughed.

Soon after, Minako's parents pulled up with the van, and Mamoru said good bye, on his way to work. The two Senshi with cats holding them settled into the vans seats, and whispered to the cats about all the nice stuff they bought or saw in England (Okay, Minako it was bought, Usagi it was both, but still!)

The trip was suddenly interrupted by a police siren and flashing lights behind them. Mr. Aino cursed softly as he pulled over to the side, rolling down the window. "Stupid sticky gas pedals." He muttered.

The officer stepped up, and both Artemis and Luna froze when they heard the voice of the cop say "Do you know how fast you were going?"

Sgt. Hibuki leaned back to look into the van, and his eyes met Artemis's. He blinked then chuckled, and waved off Mr. Aino's excuse and license. "I'll give you a warning, this time, since I am guessing you're tired from a trip. Tell me something though...

"Yes officer?" Mr. Aino said, willing to say anything to such a FINE officer.

"Where do you get cats like those? I've been thinking about getting one for myself."

Mr. Aino glanced back at the cats, then returned his gaze to the officer. "They where both strays I think. I don't know what breed they are, sorry."

"No problem... Just that a cat saved my life once, so to speak. Get on your way, and drive carefully." He winked to the girls. "Don't wanna risk a car load of girls like these.

"No officer, and thank you." 

Glancing at Artemis. "No problem, Sir. Have a nice day."

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Haruka walked into the Kitchen, in search of a soda. She stopped in her tracks when she found Sailor Pluto preparing a tray with a large Tea water thermos, and two teacups. The sound and smell of popping kettle corn came from the background.

"Setsuna?" The sometimes Senshi of Uranus asked. "Wha'cha up to?"

"Just going to sit back tonight. The time gate has its entertainment uses, after all." The normally serious Pluto said with a smile.

"Um... Sure. Have fun!" The girl retrieved her coke, and fled.

Setsuna just chuckled, and poured the popcorn into a big bowl. Summoning her staff, she disappeared, reappearing in front of the time gates. She quickly settled into a big beanbag chair, which she would NEVER allow the other girls to see her in, and waved the staff and orb at the gate, causing it to show the time she was looking for.

(_"I still don't see why all you girls have to go. What if something happens here?" Luna said, frowning._

Usagi looked down at the cat, after closing her suitcase. "Oh come on, Luna. Setsuna says there isn't going to be any more trouble for a while, so don't worry." Setting the case next to her door, she sat down and patted the black cat, which didn't seem to be cheering up, even with the attention. )

"The Senshi are almost ready." A very familiar voice said to the sitting Sailor Pluto. 

Turning her head, Setsuna looked at the future version of herself. "I know. Now it is the Cats time to learn, and grow. Any advice?"

"Keep the Senshi in the dark about what they are up to for a while. The girls would help too much." The future Pluto said, managing to somehow elegantly settle into a beanbag chair, her self.

The younger Pluto poured them both cups of green tea. "I had figured that would be best. Would you care to stay and watch?"

"Of course! This is one of my favorite moments in history!" 

"Up there with Usagi and Mamoru's first meeting?" Both giggled, as no one would expect they could, cheerfully. 

"I will give Luna credit. She does know how to KISS!"

**__**

This is not the end. Nor, is it the beginning of the end. It is merely the end of the beginning!


End file.
